Excelsior
by MissLindaLee
Summary: Another ship lands in Smallville, with some very special cargo. This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. Please read 'Reentry' BEFORE reading this prequel!
1. Chapter 1

_Okay, for those of you who have been screaming for a sequel/prequel to 'Reentry,' I have decided to write one. Now, there are some things you need to know about this:   
1) You have to have read 'Reentry' first; this is a prequel, but it's a prequel that follows the events along the timeline that would have happened if the events in 'Reentry' had happened - meaning that Jonathan will NOT die!   
2) I will be taking my time with this story, because I am working on other things, so nag and plead all you want; I'll do my best!   
3) I love all you guys for supporting me, especially FC, who is my bestestestest bud ever!   
4) Enjoy!_

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 1   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

A spaceship hurtled through outer space towards a lowly green and blue planet. In a matter of moments the spaceship hit the planet's atmosphere, glowing fiery white and orange as it descended at a rapid speed. 

- - - - 

_Fort Truman, Kansas   
11:32 PM_

Alarms sounded loudly at Fort Truman Air Base, located five miles north of Metropolis. Officers scurried around at their stations in the Radar room, frantically bringing up images as their superior, Captain James Williams, hurried in. He walked over to the nearest station. 

"What is going on, Lieutenant?" he asked. 

The officer looked troubled as he brought up a radar screen. "I'm not sure, sir," he answered, "but we detected it earlier; it just entered Earth's atmosphere a short few moments ago. Its altitude is decreasing too rapidly to be any form of aircraft, and it's moving from west to east." 

"A meteor?" Williams asked. 

"Could be," the lieutenant answered. He tapped the screen. "By all indications, it should be passing overhead any moment now." 

Williams stared at the screen, then he hurried out, heading outside. He looked up and toward the west. A large, fiery orange object trailed across the night sky, only a few thousand feet overhead; a loud sonic boom was heard a split second after the object passed, shattering windows and rattling Williams to his bones. The object trailed off toward the east, disappearing from sight over the horizon. 

Other officers had gathered around Williams, and the captain turned to the nearest one. "Lieutenant" the officer stood at attention "call General Danvers," he ordered. "Tell him we have a situation." The officer nodded and saluted. Williams saluted back, and the lieutenant hurried away. Williams turned back toward the east horizon and narrowed his eyes; his gut told him that the object was more than a meteor . . . and he was going to find out exactly what it was. 

(End of Chapter 1) 


	2. Chapter 2

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 2   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

_Smallville, Kansas   
11:34 PM_

Pete Ross pulled his truck out of the Kents' drive and headed down the highway; he had spent the past few hours filling up on Martha's home cooking and just talking with the Kents, something he came over for on a fairly regular basis, roughly four times a week. Sometimes, Clark would be able to join them, but most of them time Pete went solo. It didn't bother him or Clark's parents that much; they knew Clark visited as often as he could in between his job at the Daily Planet and his . . . well, other job. 

Pete chuckled as he drove down the dark road, the only light coming from his headlights, listening to his favorite station on the radio. It had been over two years since his best friend went public with his abilities, but Pete still couldn't believe it. What surprised him even more was how accepting Clark's parents - namely his father - had been about the whole thing and how proud they were of their son. 

"I guess saving an airplane from crashing in the middle of Metropolis would make *any* parent proud," Pete mused with a smile. 

Suddenly, a fiery orange object slammed into the field adjacent to the road Pete was on, slamming into the ground with the force of a small bomb. The explosion shook the ground and threw debris into the air, startling Pete. The object skittered along the field, burrowing a trench over one hundred yards long, as Pete slammed on the brakes; the truck fishtailed across the road before coming to a stop on the side of the road. Shaking, the young man got out and looked over into the field; even in the dark, the trench was clearly visible, the object smoldering in the distance, small fires in the trench. 

His curiosity getting the better of him, Pete grabbed a flashlight under his seat and made his way over to the trench. He turned the flashlight on, carefully jumped in, and slowly walked the trail, swinging the light from side to side. He approached the end of the trench, and he trained his light on the smoldering object. His jaw dropped as he recognized the object - it was a spaceship, just like the ship that brought Clark to Earth, but it was larger, about two times larger. 

It was designed a little differently that the small ship Pete remembered; the ship Pete was looking at appeared to be sort of like an elongated bubble with fins on the side and boosters in the back. The bubble part was a dark silver and opaque. It was different, but Pete saw the symbols inscribed on the front of the bubble, symbols he recognized, along with an octagonal slot. On the ground was a familiar-looking octagonal key. 

Pete took a step closer and picked up the key. He brushed the dirt off of it. There were three sets of familiar-looking symbols. The young man got a funny feeling in his stomach, but took a deep breath and put the key near the octagonal slot. The key flew from his hand, floated over, and hovered over the slot. Pete watched, eyes wide, as the key twisted then settled into the slot. The whole ship started glowing, and there was a soft sizzle as the top of the bubble started melting away to a semi liquid goop on the dirt. In a few moments, Pete could see the bottom half of the ship was solid, like one half of a tube; it was dark silver. The inside was lined with what appeared to be soft, silvery blankets. More prominent was the young, teenage girl laying inside, her eyes closed. Her hair was blonde, and she was dressed in a white body suit with a white skirt over it and white boots. Across her chest was a silvery emblem, an emblem that Pete remembered being burned onto his best friend's chest when they were younger. 

"Oh, man," he whispered. 

(End of Chapter 2) 


	3. Chapter 3

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 3   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Jonathan and Martha were about ready to head up the stairs when the phone rang. Martha was the closest, and she picked it up on the second ring. 

"Hello?" she asked. She listened for a few moments. "Pete, slow down, I can't understand a word you're saying." She patiently listened, then her eyebrows went up. "You found what?" She glanced up at her husband, who was watching the whole thing with interest. "Yeah, I'll let them know. Pete, please be careful." 

"What was that about?" Jonathan asked. 

"That was Pete," Martha explained. "He's out on Route 8 near Miller's field. He's found something." 

"What did he find?" Jonathan asked. Martha opened her mouth, but she couldn't seem to find the words she wanted to say. Jonathan put his hands on her shoulders. "What is it, sweetheart?" 

Martha looked up at her husband. "Pete said he found a spaceship," she said. 

- - - - 

Pete was pacing slowly in front of the ship when he heard a whooshing sound. He instinctively looked up as a red and blue-clad figure descended from the night sky. He landed near Pete, and Pete smirked. 

"Must have called you as soon as I hung up," he said to his friend. He snickered at his friend's outfit. "Sorry, Clark, but I still can't believe people look up to you in that costume." 

Clark sighed and rolled his eyes. He quickly spun in a circle. When he stopped, Clark was dressed in jeans, a black shirt, and tennis shoes. "Pete, what's going on?" he asked his best friend. Pete nodded to the ship. Clark looked down and saw the ship. His eyes widened as he saw what was left of the ship and its precious cargo. He knelt beside the ship, then looked up at Pete for an explanation. 

"Hey, don't look at me, man," Pete said. "When I said you had an evil twin out there somewhere, I didn't mean I wanted both of you *here.*" Clark gave him a look. "Alright, alright. It crashed a few minutes ago. I don't know what's going on, but I figured you might know something, considering the symbols on the ship and the one on her chest are Kryptonian, so I called your parents." 

"And?" Clark asked. 

"And one of them is here," Jonathan said as he approached the two friends. He smiled as his son. "Hello, son." 

"Hi, Dad," Clark smiled back. His smile faded as he glanced over at the ship. 

Jonathan followed his son's gaze, and his own eyes landed on the ship. He slowly walked over, furrowing his eyebrows, his guard up. "Pete, you said nothing about finding someone *in* the ship." 

"I thought just finding another ship would be cause enough for alarm," Pete replied wryly. 

Jonathan glared briefly at the younger man before looking back at his son. Clark was kneeling over the young woman. "Is she dead?" Jonathan asked. 

Clark watched her for a few moments, then he looked up, relieved. "She's sleeping," he replied. He turned his head to the west, hearing something far away. 

"What is it, son?" Jonathan asked, his guard going up. 

Clark stood up and slightly squinted his eyes. He could clearly see military vehicles over seventy miles away. "We need to go," he said. "Now." 

"What's wrong?" Pete asked. 

"Military," Clark said. "Bet you anything they saw the ship, and they're coming to investigate." He leaned over and gently picked up the young woman. He handed her over to his father before picking up the ship. The elder Kent wasn't prepared for how much dead weight he would be holding, and his knees started to buckle. 

"Clark," he wheezed. 

Clark turned and saw his father about ready to drop to the ground, with the girl. In a flash, he blurred over to his father's truck, deposited the ship on the bed, hurried back over, and took the young woman from his father. Jonathan gasped for air, leaning over, resting. He glanced over at Clark, who looked a bit sheepish. 

"Sorry, Dad," he said. 

"Not a problem," Jonathan replied hoarsely. He waved to the truck. "Let's get out of here before we attract any attention." He looked over at Pete. "Pete, I think you should come back to the farm." He slowly headed to his truck. Clark followed behind, carrying the young girl in his arms. Pete watched father and son for a few moments, then he scanned the ground. His flashlight shined on the octagonal key; it was on the ground, in the middle of the puddle of goop. He shuddered, but he bent over and picked up the key before hurrying off to his truck. 

- - - - 

Martha was sitting on the table when the kitchen door opened and Jonathan walked in. She got to her feet as Pete came in behind her husband. 

"What happened?" she asked. 

Jonathan glanced at Pete, then looked back at his wife. "Honey, there was a spaceship out there," he said. 

"And?" Martha asked. 

Jonathan glanced over his shoulder as Clark came in through the door, carrying the still-sleeping girl in his arms. Martha's eyes went wide, and she put a hand over her mouth. Jonathan glanced back at his wife. "And I hope you remember how to do this," he said, "because I'm a little rusty." 

(End of Chapter 3) 


	4. Chapter 4

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 4   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Martha felt like pacing as she stood in the living room, but Jonathan was already taking care of that for the both of them. Pete was standing near Martha, and all three of them were staring at the young girl as she lay on the couch, still sound asleep. Clark was sitting on the edge of the couch beside her, watching her in awe. 

"So, what's the plan?" Pete asked. "I mean, there's a spaceship in the storm cellar - again; the military's heading for Smallville looking for it, and not only did a spaceship fall out of the sky, but it had an alien in it, and now she's sleeping on the couch, and -" 

"Pete," Jonathan interrupted. He respected the young man as one of Smallville's best deputies and a great friend to his son, but there were times that Pete still acted like a teenager, and Jonathan felt the need to step in and take control. "Well, the first thing we need to do is find out who she is - before the military shows up." 

"She's Kryptonian," Clark said. 

"Now, Clark," Jonathan replied, "just because -" 

"Dad, you saw her ship," Clark interrupted as he got to his feet. "Look at the symbol on her outfit." 

"And, uh, don't forget this," Pete added, holding up the octagonal key he grabbed earlier. 

"Where did you get that, Pete?" Martha asked as Jonathan came over and took the key, examining it. 

"It was from her ship," Pete answered. 

Jonathan pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the key clean. He looked it over; it was similar to Clark's key, but Jonathan could see the symbols were different. He glanced at his son and handed the key to him. Clark took the key and looked at it, reading the symbols. 

"What does it say?" Martha asked. 

Clark opened his mouth, but he was interrupted by a small moan. He turned and saw the young girl was stirring. He sat back on the couch, and Jonathan, Martha, and Pete gathered around. 

The young girl slowly opened her eyes, and everyone could see they were a dull blue. She looked around, confused and dazed. She glanced up, and her eyes met Clark's. The girl tilted her head, and then spoke, but the words coming from her mouth were in an unfamiliar language. 

"What did she say?" Martha asked. 

The young girl looked over and noticed the three people behind Clark. She gasped as she scrambled to her feet and backed up. The four carefully moved towards her, trying not to startle her. The girl backed up into the piano, slamming the keys with her hands. She jumped and cried out low in her throat, swallowing the sound, unable to articulate her terror; she missed the flash of pain in each pair of eyes as they heard her and knew she must feel so trapped, so . . . alien. 

Clark saw her fear, and he slowly approached, speaking softly. "It's okay," he said. "You're safe here; you don't have to be scared." She shook her head stiffly, too scared to look away from him, as she started talking again, on the verge of tears. Clark glanced at his parents and best friend; he knew they all wanted to help her, but the problem was the language barrier. He looked back at the young woman and took a deep breath before speaking - in the same tongue the girl was speaking. It wasn't perfect, he stumbled over a few of the words, but when he watched the young girl's expression change, he knew she understood what he had said; he hoped she had. 

"Clark, what did you just say?" Jonathan asked. 

"I told her she was safe," Clark said, keeping his eyes locked with the girl's. "That no one here was going to hurt her." At least, he hoped that was what he told her. He held out one of his hands, palm up, towards the girl, smiling slightly, speaking in a soft tone. 

The young girl stared at the outreached hand, then back up at the man speaking to her - in soft, soothing tones, in her own language. Her guard was still up, but the way he spoke to her - not what he was saying as much as how he was saying it - let her know she could trust him; she knew he would be able to help her. She tilted her head as she stood straighter, taking a step towards him, saying something to him. It was Clark's turn to be startled; his eyes widened and his mouth formed a small 'o.' 

Jonathan saw his son's expression change. "What did she say, Clark?" he asked. Clark opened his mouth, but he couldn't say anything. 

"Clark, what did she say?" Martha pressed. 

Clark took a deep breath and looked at his parents. "She wanted to know if I knew Kal-El," he replied. 

"Cool," Pete grinned. He saw Jonathan, Clark, and Martha staring at him. "What?" 

Jonathan turned to Clark. "Don't tell her who you are, Clark," he said. "Not until we know who she is." 

The girl looked up at Jonathan, her eyebrows furrowing. She turned to Clark and said something. Clark looked hesitant, glancing from his parents to the girl. Jonathan's guard went up. "What is it, Clark?" 

"Uh, she, uh wanted to know if I was Kal-El," Clark said slowly. "She asked if that's why I know how to speak Kryptonian." 

"Make up something," Jonathan said. "We don't know who she is; we have no reason to trust her." The girl turned to Jonathan, looking hurt; she said something softly to him. Jonathan looked to Clark for a translation, but before Clark could open his mouth, a soft voice spoke up behind him. 

"Why are you so afraid of me?" the girl asked slowly. Her speech was unsure and halting, but everyone understood her. 

"You know English?" Clark asked. The girl looked at him and slowly nodded. 

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Martha gently asked. 

"I was scared," the girl answered softly. She looked at Clark. "Are you Kal-El?" 

"I think you should tell us who you are first," Jonathan said. 

She looked hesitant, but she took a deep breath and stood straighter. "My name is Kara," she answered. "Kara Zor-El, of the House of El." 

Jonathan wanted to believe that the girl was not there to harm his son, but the last time a Kryptonian encountered his family, the incident brought nothing but pain and suffering that took a long time for all of them to get over; Jonathan was going to do everything within his power to keep that from happening again. He took a protective step closer to his son, not caring that his wife, his son, and the newcomer saw what he did. 

"El?" he asked. "Any relation to Jor-El?" She cringed at the mention of the name, something that Jonathan oddly found a bit settling. "You *do* know him." 

"Only from what I learned through the others," Kara answered. "He was my uncle." She hugged herself and closed her eyes, like she was cold and trying to will herself warm again. 

"Wait, if Jor-El was your uncle," Pete said, slowly glancing at Clark, "then that would make Clark your -" 

"Cousin," Clark replied softly, staring at the young girl in shock and awe. 

Kara opened her eyes and looked up at Clark. "You're . . . Kal-El?" she asked slowly. 

"His name is Clark," Jonathan said. 

"I just want to find my cousin," Kara said angrily, trying to keep from crying. Her chin quivered and tears fell down her cheeks; she wiped them away. "I was told that he would be able to protect me." 

"And I will," Clark replied. 

Kara looked up at Clark. "You're Kal-El?" she asked. 

"Yeah," Clark answered. "But on Earth, everyone calls me Clark." 

Kara just started at the man in front of her. After a few moments, she flung herself at him hugging him tightly around the waist, burying her head in his chest and crying into his shirt. 

Clark was a little startled, but he put his arms around the young woman and held her tightly. "It's okay," he whispered. "You're safe here, Kara. No one's going to hurt you here." He stared at the top of Kara's head in wonder, utter shock and fascination, and serious protectiveness. 

Pete's belt walkie talkie started buzzing. He quietly excused himself to answer it, and then he stepped into the kitchen, near the back door. Jonathan and Martha exchanged a look, and they watched Pete with curiosity. A few moments later Pete stepped back into the living room; he looked troubled. 

"What's wrong, Pete?" Martha asked. 

"That was Sheriff Givens ," Pete replied. "The office just got a call from a Captain James Williams at Fort Truman; Williams and a group of officers are coming to investigate a possible meteor landing, and Givens wants me down at the station to do the meet and greet and show Williams and his officers around, help with their investigation." 

"Go," Jonathan replied. "Don't need you arousing any suspicions." 

"What about you guys?" Pete asked. "I mean, I don't think the Air Force knows where to look, but to be on the safe side, you might want to change locations for an hour or so until they've done a sweep of the area." 

Martha looked up at her husband. "Where can we go?" she asked. 

Jonathan looked around and ran a hand down the back of his head. He sighed and shook his head, frustrated and almost angry. He said, "I know where we can go." 

(End of Chapter 4) 


	5. Chapter 5

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 5   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Wow," Kara whispered in awe as Clark through the caves, Martha and Jonathan close behind them, holding flashlights and swinging them around, letting their bright beams light the caves. The Kents and Clark were all on guard, alert to anything that would threaten them or Kara, but Clark couldn't help acting like a big brother showing off a prized possession to his younger sibling; he knew the caves had caused a fair share of problems, but they also contained a lot about who he was, and as much as he loved his parents, it felt really good to be able to share the caves with someone more like him. 

"Pretty cool, huh?" Clark asked, smiling. 

"Cool?" Kara asked. "It's not that cold in here." 

Martha and Jonathan couldn't help but smile a bit, trying not to laugh. Clark saw their expressions and chuckled. "Neat, Kara. It's neat, isn't it?" 

"Well, it is clean," Kara agreed. 

"What do you think of the caves?" Clark tried again, trying not to laugh. 

"They're amazing," Kara replied, looking at the symbols on the walls. "I saw holographs of them when I was younger . . . learned about how our people came to Earth a long time ago." 

"So, what happened?" Clark asked. 

"What happened to what?" Kara asked. 

"Krypton," Clark replied. "What happened to Krypton?" 

"You don't know?" Kara asked, tilting her head. Clark shook her head. Kara looked around the caves. She walked over to one spot and touched the smooth wall, smiling in awe, before turning back to Clark. "Where's my key?" Clark reached into his pocket and pulled out her key. He handed it to her, but Jonathan stepped over. 

"Uh, wait a second," he said, putting a hand on his son's arm. "We haven't had much good luck putting keys into these walls." He looked at Kara, trying not to sound or look harsh. "Why do you need to put the key in the wall?" 

"Because it contains data about Krypton," Kara replied. "I want to answer Kal - uh, Clark's question." 

"Can you answer it without putting the key in the slot?" Jonathan gently asked. 

"Well, I was told that when I came here I would be able to teach Kal- er, Clark, about where he came from," Kara explained. She shrugged and looked a little embarrassed as she hung her head. "But, I'm not a very good speaker; that's why everything's on the key." 

Clark smiled a bit as he looked up at his father. He could see his father was still a little wary of the young woman, but her simple child-like innocence and eagerness to help caused the corners of Jonathan's mouth to curl up slightly. Martha's expression had softened as she stood next to her husband. She glanced at her son, and their eyes met; they knew they were both thinking the same thing: Jonathan was going to give Kara a chance, but he wasn't going to appear to cave so easily. He was, after all, a very stubborn man, something that was both charming and nerve-racking at the same time. They all looked up at the elder farmer, waiting to see what he was going to do. 

"How do you know that putting the key in the slot won't hurt any of us?" Jonathan asked. "Or you?" 

"Because the key was created to be attuned to me," Kara answered honestly. "As long as I stay near it, there won't be any problems." She stared up at Jonathan, waiting for his answer. 

Jonathan looked down at the young woman, her eyes wide and pleading. He was still unsure about the whole thing, but his gut instinct told him he could trust her. He sighed and nodded. "Okay," he said. "But if there is even a hint of danger, this stops." 

Kara nodded. Clark handed the key to her, and the young woman turned and faced the wall. She took a deep breath and held the key out in front of her. She rotated the disk, matching the one symbol on her key - the House of El symbol - with the painted symbol on the cave wall. The key flew from her hand and directly into the octagonal groove in the wall. 

Clark felt a huge sense of deja vu as the symbols on the key started to glow the familiar red, yellow and blue; he glanced at his parents to gauge their reactions. Even though he had experience with the caves and the unusual things it was capable of doing, Jonathan was still shocked as he watched the wall. Martha stood by her husband, stunned, her eyes wide, her mouth opened; neither of them noticed their flashlights had gone out. 

Kara watched intently as the symbols on the wall lit up, and they all started rotating in circles around the glowing key, each ring of symbols moving in alternating directions. She glanced up at Clark, and he looked down at her; he reached over and took her hand, smiling a bit. The young girl gratefully smiled up at him and looked back at the wall. The disk suddenly opened up through the middle, and a stream of white energy shot out. The three Kents shut their eyes and tensed, ready for the impact, but there wasn't any. They slowly opened their eyes and looked over; their eyes widened as their mouths opened in shock. 

(End of Chapter 5) 


	6. Chapter 6

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 6   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

The light had disappeared, but there was a soft, red orange glow coming from the center of the cave. Everyone looked to the center of the cave and saw a glowing red sphere. Seven spheres of different sizes and colors revolved around the red sphere in semi-elliptical orbits. The Kents and Clark watched, almost mesmerized; Jonathan and Martha slowly stepped over and watched from the other side. 

"What on earth?" Martha whispered. 

"Is that our solar system?" Clark whispered as he stepped closer. He reached out to touch the outermost sphere, but his fingers passed right through it. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked at Kara. 

"It's a holographic image," Kara explained. "And it's not this solar system; it's the system that Krypton was once a part of." 

"I thought you were going to tell us what happened to Krypton," Jonathan said. 

"I will," Kara replied, "but in order to fully understand what happened, you have to know about the events that led up to Krypton's destruction. I learned how to translate the Kryptonian timeline into Earth's timeline, so it should make more sense." She took a deep breath. "Krypton was formed about nine billion of your years ago and ended up inhabiting this solar system. As you can see, this system consisted of seven planets - including Krypton - that revolved around a red dwarf star. Early inhabitants of Krypton called it Rao." 

Kara turned to the side and raised her palm. A small holographic keypad about the size of a computer monitor, complete with a key pad with Kryptonian symbols on it, appeared in front of the young woman; she touched a few of the keys and the holographic image zoomed in on the fourth planet from Rao; it was blue and green, like Earth, but there were subtle differences in the planet's layout. 

"Is that Krypton?" Clark asked. 

"That *was* Krypton," Kara corrected him. She nodded at the planet. "Krypton was in a unique position to sustain life: it was neither too close nor too far from Rao." She glanced up at Clark. "Much like Earth is in this solar system in relation to Sol." She took a deep breath and continued. "After billions of years, nomadic clans established the planet's First Age, which lasted to about eight-hundred thousand years ago. During this period, they used a uniform language and alphabet, and built Jerat, Krypton's first city." She pressed some more keys on the keypad beside her, and four small, colored spheres appeared around Krypton and rotated at different distances and speeds around the planet. 

"Krypton originally had four moons," Kara explained. The farthest sphere seemed to fly away and disappear. "Xenon spun out of orbit and vanished into outer space, while another, Wegthorn, was destroyed by a renegade Kryptonian scientist." The closest sphere to Krypton exploded and disappeared in a pixilated dust. "All that remained were Mithe and Koron." The last two spheres glowed brighter. "Unfortunately, they suffered the same fate as the other moons when their orbits overlapped, and they eventually collided." The spheres collided and exploded. 

"Oh, my," Martha whispered, putting a hand over her mouth. 

"What does this have to do with what happened to Krypton?" Jonathan asked. 

"Is he always impatient?" Kara asked Clark. 

"I'm pleading the fifth," Clark answered. 

"The fifth of what?" Kara asked. 

"Nevermind," Clark replied. He nodded at the holograph. "Go on." 

Kara gave Clark an odd expression, but she turned back to the holograph. "Krypton's destruction began during the Second and Third Ages. This was when Kryptonians learned the science of cloning from an alien geneticist, Bertron." 

"Cloning?" Jonathan asked. 

Kara nodded. She touched a few keys on the screen, and the holographic planet was replaced with a holographic image of a humanoid creature with wrinkled brown skin and large, yellow elliptical eyes. "Betron was renowned on other planets for advancing their civilizations. He felt it was his duty to share his knowledge with all races, but he perished on Krypton." 

"What happened?" Martha asked. 

"Bertron was conducting an experiment to perfect the ultimate being," Kara explained. "Depending on who you talk to, the experiment succeeded: Bertron had created a living creature that was considered evolutionary perfection." 

"But?" Clark asked. 

"The Ultimate, as it was referred to," Kara replied, "turned on Berton and killed him and all those who had been working with him." 

"What happened to the Ultimate?" Clark asked. "Is that what killed everyone?" 

Kara shook her head. "No one knows what happened to it; it just . . . vanished." 

"Lovely," Jonathan replied wryly. "So, what happened?" 

(End of Chapter 6) 


	7. Chapter 7

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 7   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara pressed another key on the keypad, and Berton's image was replaced with the image of an advanced but sterile laboratory; the Kents could see Kryptonians working in different areas, all in sterile white suits and working in different areas. "During the Fourth to Sixth Ages," she explained, "Kryptonians were able to perfect the art of cloning, and they lived in a seemingly Utopian technological society." She pressed another key on the keypad, and the image changed to a long sterile hall, with large pods in groups of threes lining the sides. "Each Kryptonian maintained three mindless clones that provided replacement body parts and organs; this allowed the citizens of Krypton to prolong their lives to virtually the point of immortality." 

"And Krypton was supposed to be an advanced civilization," Jonathan snorted. Kara gave him a quizzical look; he sighed. "I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but I think it's just sickening for a race to clone its citizens for the sole purpose of harvesting organs." 

Kara gave him a small smile. "There were many Kryptonians who shared your opinion, including a terrorist group named the Black Zero; it was determined to defend the clones' fundamental rights, especially to life." Her expression became somber as she pressed a key on the keypad. The image changed to show a beautiful, crystalline city with tall structures. "Unfortunately, they were willing to take drastic measures to further their cause; they protested by decimating Krypton's new capital city, Kandor, with a thermonuclear device." There was a megabright flash, and then the structures in the image started sinking and vanishing from the central point outward as the shockwave rolled out. 

"That explosion," she continued, "led to the start of a bloody civil war - Krypton's first war ever. When it finally ended after one thousand years, the atomic radiation and nuclear exchanges transformed the once beautiful planet into a savage wilderness plagued by plasma-lightning vortices, continent-wide hurricanes, and yearlong sandstorms; most animal life had been decimated." She took a deep breath. "In summary, the Clone War effectively destroyed the Kryptonian race as a whole." She pressed another key, and the image changed to show the Planet Krypton once again, but it had changed; the blue and green glow was gone, replaced by a sterile gray. 

"The Clone War was successful in aboloshing the clone banks, but things were never the same," Kara continued. "The Final Age, the Seventh Age, of Krypton began. It marked the dawn of the planet's isolationism, becoming a world where personal contact with one another was limited to families; procreation was achieved by the selection and placement of compatible genetic material in artificial wombs called birthing matrices and space exploration was abandoned." 

"Was that before or after Jor-El came to Earth?" Clark asked, tilting his head in curiosity. 

"Exploration was abandoned years before Jor-El came to Earth," Kara replied. "But it was long after Kryptonians, including our ancestor, Val-El, first came to Earth to establish these caves over four hundred years ago." 

"So, what happened to Krypton?" Martha pressed gently. She was a patient woman, but she was anxious to learn about why her son was sent to Earth. 

Kara sighed. "Kryptonians lived in complete isolationism after that. Do you remember the explosion that destroyed Kandor?" The Kents nodded. "Well, no one knew at the time that the explosion caused much more damage than first seen." She pressed the keypad, and the image showed a cross-section of Kypton, with the different layers. The different layers began glowing bright. "The explosion caused the natural elements and minerals of the core to fuse into a new element called Kryptonium. The constant fusion set off chain reactions, and the energy released from those reactions built up pressure and radiation inside the core." The layers started glowing bright green. 

"Another consequence of that fusion," Kara continued, "was the slow release of the radiation associate with it. Because of the isolationism of Krypton at that time no one knew the extent of what radiation's damage was, but shortly after Kal - Clark - was born, Jor-El discovered that the radiation had killed over twenty million Kryptonians, but the councils kept the existence of the Green Death hidden from the public. At the same time, Jor-El also discovered what the extent of that build up of energy would lead to; he tried to convince the councils, but they refused to listen. Jor-El wouldn't accept their refusal, so he did the only thing he could under the circumstances. He remembered the generosity and compassion shown to him while he was on Earth, and he never forgot that; he took his infant son, put him in a small spaceship, and sent him to Earth. Moments after the ship left Krypton's atmosphere, the pressure inside released itself in one cataclysmic event, and Krypton exploded." The image of Krypton exploded in a bright flash of white light, then everything went dark. 

(End of Chapter 7) 


	8. Chapter 8

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 8   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

A few moments later, the flashlights Jonathan and Martha were holding suddenly shone bright once again. The trio watched as Kara held her hand out toward the wall; the key flew out and landed in her hand. The young girl fingered the key for a few moments, then she looked up at Clark; his expression was a combination of shock, awe, and confusion. 

"But that doesn't make sense," Jonathan replied. "Jor-El said in his message that Clark was sent here to rule over Earth, because human beings are flawed." 

Kara furrowed her eyebrows. "I was never told about that; I was told that Clark had been sent to Earth because no one listened to Jor-El about the impending explosion" 

"That still doesn't explain how you managed to survive the explosion," Jonathan said. "Were you sent away at the same time?" 

Kara shook her head. "I was born many years after the explosion." 

"So, how did you survive?" Martha asked. 

"Because my father, Zor-El, believed his brother's theories," Kara replied. "At that time, my father resided in Argo City, on the other side of Krypton. Before exploration had been abandoned, Krypton had conducted experiments on using entire cities to venture to different planets; Argo City was one of the cities that had been a part of the experiment." 

"But how could a city survive an planet exploding?" Martha asked. 

"Because each city sat on lead base," Kara explained, "and was enclosed in an indestructible dome. The cities also had the ability to control their own climates and were equipped with the ability to produce their own food supplies. But none of the cities were ever tested, and after the Clone War, the experiment had been discarded. However, when Jor-El contacted my father and told him of the situation. My father managed to convince the citizens of Argo City about the explosion; they weren't sure if the experiments were successful, but they didn't have a lot of time, so they activated the city's launch rockets. The combination of the explosion and the rockets hurtled Argo City into space; there were still some casualties, but for the most part, the people survived." 

"And the city just floated around all this time?" Jonathan asked. 

"Yes," Kara replied. "It was full of hardships, as was expected, but the experiment proved successful, and the surviving Kryptonians went on living. Years later, my father and mother, Alura, were chosen to combine their genetic material to have me. I was raised and schooled, then Argo City's ability to sustain life started deteriorating. My father and the others worked to correct the problem, but they weren't able to; there wasn't a lot of time to save everyone, so my father followed his brother's example and built a spaceship to send me to Earth, because he knew my cousin would be there, and he could take care of me." She smiled up at Clark, and Clark returned the smile. 

"Am I interrupting anything?" 

(End of Chapter 8) 


	9. Chapter 9

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 9   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Everyone turned and looked toward the area where the voice came from; Clark protectively stood in front of Kara, effectively shielding her from sight. He focused on the visitor as his parents shone their lights up. The three Kents breathed a sigh of relief when they saw it was Pete; he was holding his hands up, humorously with the seventies peace sign up. 

"I come in peace," he said. 

"Pete, I thought you were with the Air Force," Clark replied. 

"Yeah, well, that was until they decided to spend all night at the SOI," Pete explained. 

"SOI?" Martha asked. 

"Site of Impact," Pete answered. "They found some of that goop from the ship, and they're taking a sample back to Fort Truman to get it analyzed." He paused. 

"What is it, Pete?" Jonathan asked. 

"They're also going to be combing the area," Pete said, "talking with people who might have seen something. I was their first victim." 

"What did you tell them?" Clark asked. 

"Not much," Pete replied. "I just said that I was driving home from your parents' place after dinner and talk, and I saw something crash in the field. Went there, found nothing but the goop, then I got the call from Sheriff Givens." 

"Do you think they bought it?" Jonathan asked. 

"Yeah," Pete replied. "They let me leave, but told me to stay within reach of my radio so they can call me if they need me to smooth over their intrusion into other people's lives." 

"They didn't follow you, did they?" Clark asked. 

"No, I made sure of that," Pete answered. He glanced at Kara as she peeked around her cousin. "And if I were you, I'd get back to your place as quickly as possible. The Air Force might be knocking on your door tonight, and if you're not there, it's going to look suspicious." 

"If they start looking around, they might find the ship," Clark added, looking at his father. 

"Clark, I want you to go home ahead of us and hide the ship somewhere until the Air Force leaves," Jonathan said. 

"Where am I going to put it?" Clark asked. "It's not like I can move it to my apartment and stick it under my bed." Jonathan and Martha looked at each other. Martha shrugged, and Jonathan turned back to their son. 

"Why not?" Jonathan asked. "You fit everything else under there. And no, your mother is not going to clean your place again this weekend." Clark gave his father a look. "Clark, son, I love you, and you're smart and talented, and we're both very proud of you, despite your moonlighting in tights, but if you can't wash your own shorts, then I'm the one you need to talk to." Pete snickered, and Clark gave him a look, but he couldn't think of anything to say. He turned around and looked down at Kara, putting his hands on her shoulders. 

"You're going to go with my parents back to the house, okay?" he said. Kara looked a little worried. "I'll be back, I promise. I'm just going to go put your ship somewhere where no one will find it." 

"Are they bad people?" Kara asked. 

"Not exactly," Clark replied. "But if they find your ship, they could figure out who you really are, and they would take you away from us." 

Kara asked, "And that would be bad, right?" 

"That would be very bad," Martha said. 

"But wouldn't that make them bad?" Kara asked. 

Jonathan came over, smiling a bit. "It's complicated, Kara," he said. He turned to Clark. "Get going, son. We'll take care of her." Clark nodded and gave a reassuring smile to Kara before hurring out of the cave at normal speed. Jonathan looked down at Kara, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You ready, Kara?" Kara looked unsure, but she slowly nodded. Jonathan led her out of the caves, with one arm around her shoulders; Martha walked on the other side, her arm also around Kara's shoulders. Pete followed a few steps behind. 

(End of Chapter 9) 


	10. Chapter 10

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 10   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Jonathan drove the pickup down the road, Kara beside him, and Martha on the other side of Kara. Kara was wearing Jonathan's jacket; the farmer had given it to her before they left the caves, just in case anyone was outside and they wouldn't see Kara's outfit. He approached the dirt road leading to the farm and turned into the drive. He slowed down when he saw a couple of military vehicles parked near the scalloped white fence around the house. There were some officers searching the perimeter around the barn and chicken coop, while a couple were on the porch, one at the front door and one at the back. Jonathan narrowed his eyes as he pulled the truck into its normal area; he couldn't see what they were doing, but he had his suspicions. 

"What should we do?" Martha asked. She saw her husband's expression, and she put a hand around Kara's shoulders. 

"Stay here," Jonathan replied. He glanced at Kara, his expression reassuring. "Sweetie, I need you to stay here with Martha, okay?" Kara nodded. Jonathan smiled, got out, and closed the door as one of the officers approached him. 

"It depends," Jonathan replied harshly. "Who are you?" 

"Just answer the question, sir," the officer said. 

"Look, I don't know who you think you are," Jonathan replied, "but around here, you don't come onto my property unannounced, try to get into my house when I'm not home" he shot glares to the officers on the porch "and then have the nerve to tell me to answer your questions." 

"So, you are Jonathan Kent," another officer replied as he approached Jonathan. 

"Who are you?" Jonathan asked. 

"Captain James Williams, United States Air Force," the second officer answered. "Mr. Kent, we're here because earlier, an object fell from the sky and landed in a field nearby; we're just combing the area to see if it fragmented and caused any damage." 

"What kind of object?" Jonathan asked. 

"We believe it's a part of one of our satellites," Williams replied. 

"You think with the amount of taxes we pay, you'd be able to build stronger satellites," Jonathan said. 

Williams smiled forcefully. "Mr. Kent, did you see anything pass overhead earlier this evening?" 

"No," Jonathan replied. 

Williams paused. "You mind me asking where you've just come from?" 

"My wife and I were at the bus depot, picking up our niece," Jonathan replied. "Now, if you don't mind, we're all very tired, and we'd like to get some sleep, so you and your officers can pack up and get off my property. If anything falls out of the sky and onto my house, you'll be the first - after my insurance agent - to know." He stared at Williams. 

Willliams set his jaw. He hated it when civilians gave him lip while he was doing his job, and his gut said the farmer was hiding something. He glanced past Jonathan and looked at the truck, studying the two women inside. "Your niece and wife?" 

Jonathan stepped in front of Williams, blocking the captain's view of Martha and Kara. "As a matter of fact, yes. Now, we're all tired, so please leave us alone." He set his jaw and folded his arms. 

(End of Chapter 10) 


	11. Chapter 11

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 11   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Williams smiled, then turned to his officers. "We're leaving," he shouted. The officers regrouped and got into the vehicles. Williams turned to Jonathan. "Have a good evening with your family, Mr. Kent." He nodded. "We'll be in touch." He got into the nearest vehicle, and Jonathan watched the vehicles leave in a cloud of dust. He waited until they were off the property and out of sight before he walked over to passenger side and opened the door. 

"Jonathan, what was that all about?" Martha asked as she got out, then helped Kara out. 

"They said they were looking for fragments of a satellite that fell out of the sky earlier this evening," he replied. 

"And I have ocean-front property in Arizona," Martha replied dryly. She sighed and glanced down at Kara, then back at Jonathan. "You know, maybe we should get her into some other clothes." They glanced down at the young girl as they heard a loud growl coming from her belly. 

"And some food into her stomach," Jonathan added with a smile. He looked up at Martha. "Sweetheart, why don't you get her changed, and I'll get some leftovers heated up for her?" 

Martha nodded and put her hands around Kara's shoulders. They followed Jonathan up the walk and up the porch steps. Jonathan unlocked the door and opened it, letting the women in ahead of him. He walked in and shut the door behind him. He watched Martha head up the stairs with Kara, then he went over to the fridge and pulled out the Tupperware containing that night's dinner: shepherd's pie. Jonathan got a plate from the cupboard; his mouth watered as he cut a hearty slice and put it on the plate. He put the plate in the microwave and set the timer for three minutes. While the slice heated up, he put the Tupperware up and got a fork. The microwave beeped as someone knocked on the back door. Jonathan looked up as the door opened and Clark came in. 

"Is that for me?" Clark said as Jonathan removed the plate from the microwave. 

"It's for Kara," Jonathan replied with a smile. 

"Darn," Clark joked as he closed the kitchen door. He looked around. "Speaking of which, where is she?" 

"She's upstairs with your mother," Jonathan replied, "getting changed into some more appropriate clothes." The Kent men looked up as Martha came walking down the stairs. Kara followed behind her. 

"Hi, Clark," Martha said. She stood to one the side as Kara stepped off the stairs. She was dressed in a pair of faded jeans, some thick socks, and a faded maroon University of Metropolis t-shirt. Her long hair was tied in a loose braid. "I found some of my old clothes for Kara to wear. What do you think?" 

"I think she looks great," Jonathan replied. He smiled at his wife. "Just like another beauty I know." 

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Martha smiled. She glanced at Clark. "Did you hide the ship?" 

"Yes, it's safely tucked under my bed," Clark replied. Jonathan and Martha gave him looks. "It's in a safe place." They still stared at him. "It's in the hiding space with my outfits." 

"I'm surprised it fit," Martha said. 

"Well, I took my shorts out, and there was plenty of room," Clark replied with a smile, looking at his father. "And I hid those in the microwave." He eyed the plate of food in Jonathan's hands. "Is there any pie left?" 

"Help yourself," Martha smiled. Grinning, Clark hurried over to the fridge. She turned to Kara. "Are you hungry, Kara?" 

"A little," Kara admitted. 

Martha showed her over to the table and pulled out one of the chairs. Kara slowly sat down, and Jonathan brought the plate and fork over; he set both of them in front of the young girl, then sat in the chairs on either end of the table. Clark came over, a plate and fork in his hand, and he took the last chair. The three Kents watched Kara as she studied the strange objects in front of her. She tilted her hair and furrowed her brows, then she looked up. 

"This is food?" she asked. 

"It's shepherd's pie," Clark replied. "It's very good." 

Kara leaned over and carefully poked the concoction with her finger. She didn't get a response. She poked it again. Nothing. She glanced down and eyed the fork. She tilted her head, then carefully picked the fork up and studied it. Satisfied, she held the fork in her fist, then slammed it deep into the pie. She nodded, smiling; she looked up, and her smile faded when she saw the Kents looking at her wide-eyed. 

"What?" she asked. 

"Is that how you ate in Argo City?" Clark slowly asked. 

"No, I was just making sure it was dead," Kara replied. 

"Um, Kara, honey," Jonathan said, trying his best to keep a straight face, "it was never alive to begin with." 

"Really?" Kara asked. 

"Well, parts of it were," Martha spoke up, "but all of it was dead already." She smiled. "Trust me, we only eat dead things at this table." 

"Oh," Kara replied. She glanced down at her stabbed pie, then she furrowed her eyebrows. "How do you eat it?" 

"Here, like this," Clark replied. He took his fork in his right hand and held it up for Kara to see. Then he used the fork to cut some pie from the slice, scoop it onto his fork, and shovel it into his mouth. "Just like that." Martha smacked his head a bit. "What, Mom?" 

"Clark Kent, you know better than to talk with your mouth full," she admonished her son. She glanced back over and saw Kara looked completely frightened, her eyes wide with terror. "Kara, are you okay?" 

"Will you hit me if I do that?" she asked quietly. 

"Oh, sweetie, no," Martha replied. She reached out and touched Kara's arm; the young girl flinched slightly. Martha looked up at Jonathan; he looked as concerned as she did. "Kara, I'm sorry if I scared you." 

"Why did you hit him?" Kara asked. 

"Kara, she didn't hit me," Clark said. "She just gave me a little smack; it didn't even hurt." He gave her a small smile. "Trust me, it's okay." 

Kara looked hesitant, but she slowly took her fork from the pie and held it like her cousin. Following his example, she methodically cut off a small piece of pie, the tip of her tongue sticking out of her lips as she concentrated. She scooped up the piece in her fork and brought it up to her mouth. She hesitated a second before she ate the piece, letting it roll around in her mouth. 

"Well?" Clark asked. 

(End of Chapter 11) 


	12. Chapter 12

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 12   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara's eyes widened in amazement as she swallowed. She quietly smacked her lips as she glanced down at the pie. Suddenly, she started gobbling up the pie, shoveling forkfuls into her mouth at high speed. The Kents watched in amazement; they had never seen someone eat that quickly. Within a matter of seconds, there were only a few crumbs on the plate as Kara put her fork down, a content look on her face. 

"She hated it," Jonathan mused with a smile. 

"No, I liked it," Kara said quickly. "Honest!" She brought her hand up and covered her mouth as she yawned. 

"I think it's time for someone to go to bed," Martha replied as she glanced at her husband. 

"I'm not sleepy," Kara protested half-heartedly. 

"Kara, you've had a very busy evening," Jonathan said. "I think it would best if we all got some rest." He took Kara's plate and fork and headed to the sink as Martha got up and helped Kara to her feet. Jonathan watched the two women head up the stairs, then he glanced at Clark; his son watched the women disappear upstairs, trying not to look left out. Jonathan walked over. "Clark?" Clark looked up. "Do you think you could stay the night? I have a feeling we're going to be needing you around until we can get this straightened out." 

"Sure," Clark replied. He tried to sound enthusiastic, but he knew it wasn't very convincing. 

"And something tells me that Kara might feel better with you tucking her in over your mother or me," Jonathan added. Clark glanced up and saw his father's smile. He smiled gratefully and got to his feet. He headed for the stairs, but Jonathan stopped him. "Clark, are you okay with all of this?" 

"Why would you even ask that, Dad?" Clark asked. 

"Because I want to make sure you're okay with this," Jonathan answered. "I don't want you to feel left out or anything." 

"Dad, I'm okay with this," Clark replied. "I mean, yeah, sure, it's going to be weird and everything, but . . . ." He sighed. "Dad, she's my cousin, my *real* cousin. I never thought there'd be someone else like me, ever, and then she shows up." He looks up at his father; he smiled. "I'm just glad she ended up with you and Mom." 

Jonathan smiled; he leaned over and hugged his son tightly. "Me too, Son," he whispered. 

"The only problem is she might end up as screwed up as I am," Clark joked. He heard Jonathan laugh out loud, and he felt his father's strong hand as he ruffled his hair. He pulled back, grinning, as Jonathan threw his arm around his son's shoulders, and the two headed up the stairs. 

(End of Chapter 12) 


	13. Chapter 13

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 13   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Okay, sweetie," Martha said as she came into Clark's old room with some folded clothes and closed the door. She walked over to the bed and sat by Kara, who was staring at the bed. She smiled. "Do you like the bed?" 

Kara nodded, smiling. "It's so soft . . . and colorful." She looked around the room in awe. "Just like everything else. I've never seen so many colors before." She bounced a little on the bed. "Or felt anything this soft before." 

"You didn't have a bed?" Martha asked. 

"I had a bed, but it was made of metal and glass," Kara answered. "No need for any blankets or pillows or anything like that." 

"Did things really change that much after the explosion?" Martha asked. 

Kara frowned. "What do you mean?" 

"Well, when Clark was younger, he got a hold of Jor-El's medallion," Martha explained, "and he found out that Krypton had so many colors that humans couldn't even begin to imagine all of them." 

Kara nodded. "But my father forbade anything that dealt with colors or arts; he believed they were unnecessary for Argo City's survival." She looked wistfully around the room. "So, everything was uniform . . . sterile . . . cold." She unconsciously shivered. 

Martha felt sympathetic as she reached over and put her arm around the young girl. She heard the small gasp and felt Kara tense under her touch, but she dismissed it as nothing more than Kara being on edge. Martha removed her arm and held up the folded clothing. "How about we get you into something more comfortable to sleep in?" she asked. She unfolded the shirt and held it up. It was large and red, with a large crow on the front. "This is one of Clark's old nightshirts." She handed it to Kara, who studied it while Martha held up the bottoms - a pair of large, faded gray sweatpants. "And these are Jonathan's sweatpants." 

"Will they mind me wearing their clothes?" Kara asked as she eyed the odd attire. 

"Not at all," Martha replied. "They haven't worn these things in years." She smiled. "Besides, I have a feeling they would be honored if you wore them." She patted Kara's knee. "Now, since you've been in space for who knows how long, how about we draw you a bath; I always find that after a long day, a hot bath always helps me sleep better." 

"What is a bath?" Kara asked. 

Martha smiled and got to her feet. "Would you be interested in finding out?" 

Kara was curious. She slowly got to her feet. "Yes, I would," she replied, smiling a little. 

Martha smiled and took the clothes, then walked over to another door on the adjacent wall. She beckoned for Kara. "Come on, sweetie," she said. Kara approached her as Martha opened the door and walked in, flipping on a nearby light switch. Kara walked in behind her and gasped softly as she looked around. 

The bathroom was decorated in soft yellow colors - from the shower curtain hanging from the bar of the combination shower bath in the corner, to the rugs on the wooden floor, and even the soap dish, drinking cup, and toothbrush holder on the counter next to the sink; the bright color made the room look larger. Martha put the clothes on the sink, then went over and pulled back the shower curtain. She knelt beside the tub and turned on the faucets. Kara watched, fascinated, as Martha tested the temperature and plugged the tub. She got to her feet and went over to a small door on the other side of the sink and opened it. She pulled out a couple of large, white fluffy towels and a bottle of lavender-scented bath gel. She closed the door and turned around, and she stopped short when she saw Kara kneeling in front of the tub, watching the water run from the faucet. 

"Kara?" Martha asked. 

Kara looked up. She seemed a little embarrassed as she got to her feet. "I'm sorry," she said. "I've never seen . . . ." She trailed off as she indicated the faucet. 

"A bathtub?" Martha asked. Kara shook her head. She knelt beside the tub again and put her hand under the faucet. She smiled as she felt the warm water run over her skin. Martha looked perplexed. "Water?" 

Kara nodded. "There was no water in our city; we never needed it to survive." 

"Then how did you clean yourselves?" Martha asked. 

"Sonics," Kara replied. 

Martha raised her eyebrows. "Soundwaves?" 

"Yes," Kara said. "It was efficient and practical." 

Martha tried to think of something to say to that, but she couldn't. She sighed and put the towels on the counter next to the clothes, then she walked over to the bathtub. She took the cap of the bottle in her hand and poured a fair amount into the water; she swished it around, and bubbles started foaming. Kara was entranced, both by the bubbles forming and the wonderful aroma filling the small room. 

"How did you do that?" she asked as Martha got to her feet, putting the cap back on the bottle. 

"I honestly don't know," Martha replied, smiling. "But I think you will enjoy it." She put the bottle on the counter, then came back over to Kara. "Now, let's get you out of these clothes and into the tub, okay?" 

Kara's eyes widened. "Out . . . of . . . Clothes?" she asked, her voice soft and squeaking. "B-b-but I just got into them." 

"I know, sweetie," Martha replied, "but in order to take a bath, you need to get out of those clothes. After your bath is over, you can get into those clothes." She indicated the t-shirt and sweatpants. "They're warm and soft and much more comfortable to sleep in. And tomorrow you can wear the clothes you're wearing now, I promise." Kara contemplated what Martha said to her. After a few moments, the young girl slowly nodded. Martha smiled. "Okay, now just raise your arms, and I'll help you out of this shirt." 

Kara slowly lifted her arms over her head, and Martha reached over and carefully lifted the shirt over the young girl's head and arms. She put the shirt aside on the toilet, then turned back; she stopped shortly and gasped softly, putting a hand over her mouth. 

(End of Chapter 13) 


	14. Chapter 14

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 14   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara hung her head, looking ashamed. "I know I'm ugly," she said quietly. "I'm sorry." 

Martha stepped closer and cupped Kara's face in her hand. "Kara, you are not ugly," she said. "You are very beautiful." 

Kara looked up and met Martha's eyes. "Then why did you look at me like that?" 

"I was just startled by these." She looked down at Kara's arms and motioned to the two deep bruises on her upper arms and the three on her abdomen just below her rubs. "Where did you get these?" 

Kara shrugged and turned her head. "I don't know; the trip through hyperspace must have been a little rough." 

"Oh, honey," Martha said softly. "You know, if something's going on, if something is bothering you or hurting you, you can tell us. Clark is your family, and that makes us your family too, and families take care of each other." Kara looked back into Martha's eyes, and Martha could tell she wanted to say something, but she looked away again. 

"I'm fine," she said softly. 

Martha wanted to press her, but she didn't want to push the young girl away when she was just starting to trust her. She fought back the tears and took a deep breath. "Okay," she whispered, trying to keep her voice from cracking. She sighed and put on a smile. "Let's get you out of those jeans, okay?" Kara nodded, and she let Martha help her out of the jeans. With Martha's assistance, Kara climbed into the tub and slowly sat down. 

The warm water felt wonderful against Kara's skin, and she felt her entire body relax. "This is really amazing," she whispered. 

Martha smiled as she grabbed a nearby sponge. "Do you mind if I use this on your skin?" she asked. "It's soft." She waited as Kara felt the sponge then smiled and nodded. "You remember that stuff I poured in the bath to make the bubbles?" Kara nodded. "I'm going to put a little on here, and it's going to make a foam, and I'll use that to wash you, okay? It'll make you smell like flowers." 

"Okay," Kara replied. 

Martha retrieved the bottle from the counter and poured some of the gel on the sponge. She dipped the sponge in the water and squeezed the sponge, making it foam with bubbles. Taking a deep breath, she gently ran the sponge over Kara's arms, taking careful care not to rub harshly. 

Kara slowly relaxed under Martha's motherly touch; it was something that, while foreign to her, she greatly welcomed. She allowed Martha to clean her, even allowing her to wash her hair with lavender-scented shampoo and conditioner, as the older woman spoke soothing words to her. When Martha was finished, she helped Kara out of the tub and wrapped her body and hair in large towels, drying her before she got chilled, then she helped Kara into the clothes she set aside. The shirt hung loose, but it covered everything that needed to be covered and allowed her some breathing room; the sweatpants were a little harder to adjust, but Martha quickly fixed that by using the drawstring and expertly tying it around Kara's waist. Martha then took a comb from the medicine cabinet above the sink and gently combed Kara's hair until it was smooth as silk. She smiled as Kara looked at her reflection in the mirror. 

"You look beautiful," she said. 

"Really?" Kara asked. 

"Of course." Martha smiled down at her. "Now, let's get you to bed, okay?" She led Kara back into Clark's bedroom and over to the bed. She pulled back the comforter and sheets on the bed and patted the mattress. Kara walked over and sat down on the bed as someone knocked on the door. "Come in." 

The door opened and Jonathan poked his head in. "Mind if we join you?" he asked, smiling; Clark stood behind his father, looking over his shoulder. 

Martha smiled. "Sure," she replied. Jonathan and Clark walked in. "Kara just had her first bath." She gave them a look, silently telling them to mind what they said. 

Jonathan saw his wife's look. "Really?" He smiled at Kara. "Did you enjoy it?" 

Kara nodded. "Very much so, yes. Better than the sound waves." 

Clark furrowed his eyebrows, but he didn't say anything. He noticed Kara was wearing his old high school shirt. "Do you like my shirt, Kara?" 

"It's very nice," she said. "Thank you for letting me wear it." 

Clark smiled. "No problem. Now, let's say I tuck you in so you can get some rest, okay?" 

"Tuck me in?" Kara asked slowly. 

Clark grinned and walked over to the bed. He helped turn the young girl sideways and put her legs under the comforter. "Now, just lay down and relax," he said. Kara slowly lay down, resting her head on the pillows. She smiled as Clark covered her with the sheets and comforter; she didn't think anything could feel better than the bath, but she was wrong. She yawned and stretched as she nestled under the covers, then she sighed and closed her eyes. 

Clark just sat and watched Kara as she relaxed. He heard her heartbeat and her breathing slow down. In a matter of minutes, she was completely asleep. Clark smiled and gently smoothed a few strands of hair out of her face, then he turned and looked up at his parents. They were both smiling as they watched near the door. 

"Would it be okay if I stayed with her for a while?" Clark asked. 

"Of course," Jonathan answered. 

"We'll be back in a few minutes," Martha added quickly. Jonathan gave his wife an odd look, but she grabbed her husband's arm and herded him out of the room, closing the door quietly behind them. Clark looked back down at his cousin and just watched her sleep. 

(End of Chapter 14) 


	15. Chapter 15

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 15   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Jonathan was more than just a little confused as Martha all but pushed him down the hall and stairs into the kitchen. "Martha, what is going on?" he asked. 

"It's Kara," Martha replied quietly. 

"What about her?" Jonathan asked. 

Martha sighed. "When I was undressing her for her bath I . . . ." She trailed off as tears formed in her eyes. 

Jonathan put his hands on his wife's shoulders, looking down in concern. "Sweetheart, what is it?" 

Martha had to swallow and take a deep breath. "I saw these bruises on her arms and on her stomach. She said she got them from bumping around in the spaceship, but they looked too deep." She looked up at her husband tearfully. "Jonathan, it looked like she had been . . . ." 

Jonathan held her closely, holding her tightly as he rubbed her back with one hand and her hair with the other. He hated seeing her cry. "Are you sure you saw bruises?" he asked her quietly. 

Martha nodded. "I'm positive." She pulled back and looked up. "What are we going to do?" 

Jonathan stared down at her for a few moments. He took a deep breath and glanced at the staircase, then he looked back at Martha. "Well, we'll need to tell Clark," he said. "And we'll definitely need talk to Kara. Soon." 

"Can we wait until tomorrow?" Martha asked. "It's her first night here, and I don't want to add any undue stress to her life at this moment by bringing up something that could possibly be very painful." 

Jonathan stared at his wife and smiled. Even after so many years of being with her, she never ceased to amaze him with her wisdom and advice. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Of course we can," he said softly. "Until then, why don't you and I clean up the kitchen then go figure out where we're going to put Clark for the night." 

"I don't think he's going to be leaving Kara's side," Martha smiled. Jonathan chuckled and cleared the rest of the dishes from the kitchen table. Martha watched as he took them to the sink and began washing them. "Jonathan, are you okay with this?" 

"With what?" Jonathan asked. 

"Kara being here," Martha answered. "I know you're not too thrilled with other Kryptonians after what happened with Jor-El when Clark was younger . . . ." 

Jonathan stopped what he was doing, turned, and walked over to his wife. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Martha, I know I might have been a little wary of her earlier, and part of me is still wary of her, but she's here, and there's not much we can do about it at the moment. Like you said, Clark won't be leaving her side any time soon." He tilted his head. "Are *you* okay with it?" 

Martha nodded. "She's such a sweet girl . . . and she's so young, Jonathan. She can't be more than fifteen years old." She sighed. "I know that having her around might mean Clark may drift away a little, but that's only natural. He's always wanted someone else like him to exist, and now he has that; not only that, but he gets to be an older brother again." She felt her heart ache a bit as she remembered Ryan, and how torn up Clark had been when he passed away. She looked up at her husband. "Jonathan, I don't know what it is, but I know that I'm okay with it, as long as you are." 

Jonathan smiled. "I'm okay with it." He kissed her before going back and finishing the dishes. He put them in the dishwasher, then he and Martha made sure the downstairs was secure, locking doors and turning off lights. Hand and hand, they headed up the stairs and down the hall to Clark's bedroom. Jonathan knocked softly on it. There was no answer, so he slowly opened the door, and he and Martha smiled when they looked inside. 

Clark had scooted onto the bed, next to Kara, and he held her in his arms as she slept, her head resting against his chest, his cheek resting on top of her head. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slow and regular; he was sound asleep. 

Jonathan and Martha smiled to each other as they walked in. While Jonathan removed Clark's socks and shoes, Martha retrieved an handmade quilt from the closet and carefully covered their son. She smoothed his hair back and kissed his forehead. Jonathan did the same, then he and Martha quietly left the room. Jonathan flipped the light switch off, flooding the room in darkness as the two parents watched for a few more seconds before Jonathan quietly shut the door, and he and Martha headed off to bed. 

(End of Chapter 15) 


	16. Chapter 16

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 16   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara slowly stirred and yawned, then she slowly opened her eyes. She was immediately blinded by a bright light, and she had to close her eyes. She carefully opened her eyes and squinted, and then she yawned again. Her eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness quickly, and she opened them wider as she smiled; she felt so relaxed and rested, more so than she had for as long as she could remember. 

The smile faded from her face as she heard an odd noise in her ear. The only thing that sounded even vaguely similar were the fans in the air refresher deep below Argo City's surface when the intake valves had sucked up small fragments of rock and dust; for a moment, Kara felt her stomach turn to ice as she wondered if everything she had experienced - her cousin, Jonathan and Martha, the food, the bath, the clothes, the bed - had been just a dream, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she glanced around and saw things were vastly different from her small, sterile room - that it wasn't a dream. 

She heard the odd noise again, and she furrowed her eyebrows as she craned her neck in the direction the sound came from. Her eyes widened when she saw Clark sleeping beside her. He was still holding her in his arms, something she was surprised she hadn't felt before that moment; his head was leaning against the wall, his eyes were closed, and his mouth was wide open, his tongue hanging out a bit. She listened for a few more moments and realized the odd noise was coming from him. 

Kara carefully extracted herself from his arms and sat up on her knees, facing her sleeping cousin. She tilted her head and stared at him; she leaned over, her nose inches from him, and she saw him breathe deeply, then she heard the odd sound. She nodded as she reached over and gently pushed his chin up, closing his mouth. Kara smiled, glad when the annoying sound stopped. 

Still asleep, Clark mumbled something about letting the cows feed themselves as he turned towards Kara, smacked his lips a few times, and then settled in. The young girl frowned when he started making that odd noise again - with his mouth close. She sighed and leaned over; she heard the sound from his throat, and she figured the movement of air was causing that sound; she smiled when she came to the conclusion that getting rid of the air movement would get rid of the sound. 

Careful not to wake her cousin - she had to admit he looked adorable sleeping - she leaned over and pressed his nose with her index finger, figuring there was an internal off button to shut a valve, preventing air movement. She let go, but the noise didn't stop. She sighed, not easily swayed from something she put her mind to. Sticking the tip of her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, she pressed his nose again; nothing. Figuring it must be a repetitive process, she kept pressing her cousin's nose. 

Clark's nose twitched like an oversized rabbit's and he smacked a little; Kara paused for a second, startled by the movement, but when he sighed and relaxed, she started again. poke . . . twitch . . . poke . . . twitch . . . pokepoke . . . twi - Kara jumped slightly as her cousin's hand moved faster than anything she'd seen in her life, snatching her hand as his eyes opened. They fixed on hers, and she could see that he was trying to get his bearings. She relaxed when he smiled sleepily in recognition. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeey," he said softly, his voice full of wonder and affection and something she could only identify as . . . sweetness. 

"Oh, it finally stopped," Kara replied, smiling brightly. 

"Huh?" Clark asked, still trying to wake up. He rubbed his eyes and propped himself up on his side. 

"You were making an odd noise," Kara said. She looked proud. "And I stopped it. All by myself." 

"What noise?" Clark asked. Kara did her best to imitate the sound her cousin made, then she sneezed. Clark chuckled as he sat up. "Bless you." 

Kara looked confused. "Why?" 

"I'll explain later," Clark grinned. He tucked his knees up to his chest as he sat next to his cousin. "Did you sleep well?" 

"Very much so, yes." She looked around the room. "This is a very nice room." 

"It used to be mine when I was younger," Clark replied. 

"How old are you now?" Kara asked. 

"Twenty six," Clark answered. He glanced down at her. "Years, not revolutions." 

"Good." Kara looked relieved. "If that was the case, then I'd be older than you, and I know I'm not older than you." 

"How old are you?" Clark asked. 

"In Earth time?" Kara asked. Clark nodded. "Um . . . if I did my calculations correctly, then fifteen years." 

"Oh boy," Clark muttered as he rubbed his hand over his face. He figured she was at least sixteen, but learning she was fifteen . . . that changed a lot, considering where she was from. 

"Is that okay?" Kara asked, looking crestfallen. 

Clark smiled as he leaned over and cupped her face in her hands. "It's perfectly fine, Kara." He sighed, trying to figure out how to bring it up. "Um, how do you feel? Do you feel any different?" 

Kara tilted her head, then she smiled sheepishly. "I feel hungry." 

Clark smiled and chuckled. He breathed deeply and looked toward the bedroom door. "I think Mom has breakfast waiting for us," he said. "And from the smell of it, I think it's pancakes." 

"What are pancakes?" Kara asked. 

Clark grinned as he got to his feet. He helped Kara up until she was standing on the bed; he turned his back to her. "Climb on." 

"Huh?" Kara asked. 

"Climb on my back." He looked at her over his shoulder and saw she was confused and hesitant. "It's okay, Kara." Kara looked reluctant, but she took a deep breath and climbed onto Clark's back; she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he supported her weight by holding her legs. He remembered when he was younger, and his father used to run out of his room and down the stairs to the kitchen like a horse, but he wasn't sure Kara would be as giggly as he used to be, so he decided to just take it calm and slowly. He walked out of the room with his cousin on his back, and he slowly descended the stairs to the kitchen. 

(End of Chapter 16) 


	17. Chapter 17

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 17   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Good morning," he said to his mother as she faced the stove. 

Martha turned around, stopped short, and grinned after a moment. She had to put a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as Clark walked over to the kitchen table and deposited Kara into one of the chairs. He took the chair across from Kara as Martha came over with a fresh plate of pancakes. 

"Good morning to you too," Martha said as she sat the plate in the middle of the table. The syrup and butter were already on the table, along with forks and plates. Martha took her chair at the end of the table and Clark divvied up the pancakes between him and his cousin. "So, did you two sleep okay?" 

"Yep," Clark replied as he lathered his pancakes with butter and poured a ridiculously large amount of syrup over the top. Kara watched him, then she imitated what he did, even gobbling the food exactly as her older cousin did. Martha tried not to smile as she watched. 

"I'm glad," she replied. 

"So, where's Dad?" Clark asked after swallowing a mouthful of food. 

Martha glanced out the open windows, blinking at the morning light that shone brightly into the kitchen. "He's out in the field working with the tractor." She glanced over at Kara, who was too busy eating to notice her worried look, but Clark noticed it immediately. 

"Mom?" he asked. 

"Kara, honey," Martha said, looking at the young woman. Kara looked up, her cheeks bulging with food. "Have you ever seen a tractor before?" Kara shook her head, and Martha smiled. "Well, I think Jonathan would be happy to show you what one is." 

Kara quickly swallowed, smiling. "Really?" 

"Sure," Martha replied. She got to her feet, and Kara followed her out on to the porch. Martha pointed to the field beyond the barn. "Just follow the gravel ground past the red building there, and there's a wooden gate there. Open it and walk through into the field. Jonathan will be out there with a big machine with very big wheels." 

"Okay," Kara replied as she bounded off the porch. Martha watched her as she made her way toward the field. Clark came up behind her, and the two watched the young girl as she entered the field. 

"Mom, what's wrong?" he asked quietly. 

Martha sighed as she turned around and looked up at her son. "There's something that we need to talk about that concerns Kara." 

- - - - 

Kara knew she should have been repulsed to be walking on unprocessed soil barefoot, but she couldn't help but smile. The feel of the smooth rocks and dirt, then the cool feel of the grass with the water droplets making it a little slippery; she had never experienced sensations like she was feeling now as she made her way into the field. Her eyes fell on the small dark patches sporadically on the ground. She didn't know what they were, but she had a feeling she shouldn't step in them; she wrinkled her nose at their peculiar odor as she trekked through the field and up over a small hill. She smiled when she saw Jonathan just over the rise, sitting on the tractor as it slowly puttered loudly through the field. Fascinated, she trotted over. 

Jonathan breathed in the fresh morning air mingled with the farm smells and smiled. He never got tired of them, even after all these years. Sighing, he looked down at the panel and saw the gas gauge was near empty. He furrowed his eyebrows; he had just filled it up before leaving. He tapped the gauge, and the needle shot back over to the F. Smiling, he looked up, and his heart jumped into his throat. Kara was ten feet in front of the tractor. Jonathan slammed his foot on the break, and the tractor halted less than a foot in front of the young girl. He had to wait ten seconds as he caught his breath and his heart rate returned to a more manageable level before he quickly switched off the engine and hopped down to the ground. He hurried over to Kara and grabbed her gently by the shoulders. 

"Are you okay?" he asked, still breathless, worry written all over his face. 

Kara furrowed her eyebrows, confused. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked. She glanced at the tractor. "Is this the tractor?" 

Jonathan stared at her, openmouthed. He couldn't believe how calm she was, considering he had almost run her over. Part of him wished she had three names, so he could call her all of them and put a little fear into her life for scaring him the way she did, but he also knew she didn't know any better, and he couldn't be mad at her. Not too much, anyway. 

"Kara," he said, trying his hardest to keep his voice calm and controlled, "sweetie, you can't do that, okay?" 

"Do what?" Kara asked. 

"Get in front of the tractor like that," Jonathan replied. "You could have been hurt if I had hit you." 

Kara's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered, hanging her head. "I didn't know. I just want to see it . . . ." 

"Oh, honey, it's okay," Jonathan replied as he tilted her chin up. 

"But you're mad at me," she said softly. 

"Just a little," Jonathan replied. "And only because I don't want you to get hurt." 

Kara looked genuinely confused. "But why?" 

Jonathan felt his heart clench when he heard that question; he had hoped that Martha's worries about Kara were just worries, but the young girl's question made the elder farmer feel like Martha's concern was more of a reality than he wanted to admit. He wanted to talk to Kara, find out what exactly was going on, but he didn't want to scare her off; he also wanted to wait until Martha had talked to Clark, and he didn't know if she had already. He sighed and leaned over until he was eye level with her. "Because," he said gently, "you are worth it." 

"Really?" Kara asked softly. 

Jonathan gave her the famous Kent smile. "Really." He glanced down, then he glanced up, still smiling. "Now, why are you out here without any shoes on?" 

"Because Martha sent me out here," Kara said. "She said you would show me the tractor." She looked worried that Jonathan would tell her he was busy or to go away. She peeked around Jonathan at the unusual machinery. 

Jonathan chuckled. "I can do that," he said, "but I don't want you out here without any shoes on." 

"But I don't have any shoes," Kara said softly. 

"I'm sure Martha has a pair she can lend you," Jonathan replied. He kissed her forehead. "Now, go get changed and get some shoes on, then I'll show you anything you want to know about the tractor, okay?" 

Kara smiled. "Okay," she said. She headed back the way she came as Jonathan climbed back on the tractor. Kara trotted through the field on her way back to the fence when she saw a group of odd looking creatures lumbering into the field from a connected fenced in area. She stopped and watched them, fascinated. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she walked over. As she got within thirty feet, one of the creatures - a large, black one - snorted loudly. She halted in her tracks as she locked eyes with it. There was a few moments of stillness, then the black creature bellowed loudly. Kara's eyes grew as wide as dinner plates as the creature charged her. 

The tractor engine was always loud, but Jonathan could still hear the scream above it. He jerked his head in the direction it came from, and his heart leapt into his throat. He saw their prize dairy bull, Uncle Jesse, charging Kara at full speed; the young girl was running as fast as her legs would carry here. It was as if time was moving in slow motion as he watched Kara trip and fall to the ground - and the bull run right over her. 

(End of Chapter 17) 


	18. Chapter 18

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 18   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Clark felt his entire body go numb as his mother finished talking to him, and he had to sit down. For a moment, part of him wondered if his mother was somehow exaggerating her worries, but it was only for a moment; he knew his mother was a worrywart, but she would never exaggerate anything like what he just told her. He took a ragged breath and rubbed his face. 

"Does Dad know?" he asked quietly. 

Martha nodded as she sat beside her son. "I told him last night," she replied. "He wanted you to know so we could figure out what to do together." She put her hand on top of her son's. "Clark, are you okay?" 

"I'm confused," Clark said. "If -" He was interrupted by a loud scream, and he and his mother instinctively looked toward the kitchen door as they got to their feet. 

"Kara!" they heard Jonathan shouted. 

Clark was out of the door in a flash, even before Martha took a step toward the door. The young man blurred down the gravel road and stopped in front of the fence; he looked into the pasture. He saw his father dismounting the tractor, a look of pure horror on his face as he stared over toward the barn. Clark looked over and saw Uncle Jesse, the prized dairy bull, viciously pawing at something on the ground. Clark focused on the object, and his heart stopped when he saw it was Kara. He didn't even bother opening the gate; he just jumped over and took flight, zooming toward the bull. In a flash, he grabbed Uncle Jesse, hoisted him into the air, and flew off towards the barn. 

Jonathan didn't even think twice about seeing his dairy bull airborne, bellowing loudly, as he ran over to the young form. His stomach was ice cold when he saw her sprawled on the ground. She was muddy, her clothes were in tatters, and Jonathan could see bruises and abrasions over her face, arms, and feet. Her eyes were closed and she was so still as he knelt beside her. 

"Kara," he said softly. His hand was shaking as he leaned over. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he didn't know how badly she had been injured; he had to settle for taking her hand and then touching her shoulder. She didn't move or respond. "Kara." 

Clark landed on the other side of Kara, kneeling beside his cousin. "How is she?" he asked. 

"I don't know," Jonathan replied. 

Clark squinted his eyes slightly, and his vision changed to X-ray. He quickly scanned Kara's body, and he was relieved to see no broken bones. He focused outward to check her muscles and other tissues; there was no damage, but he could see multiple broken blood vessels all over her body, indicating she had numerous contusions, but nothing serious; there wasn't even any indication she had a concussion. He switched back into normal vision. "She's just got a lot of bruises," he said. 

"But she's not moving," Jonathan said. He leaned over. "Kara, come on, honey, wake up." 

"Leave me alone," she muttered softly, her eyes still closed. Jonathan and Clark stopped and looked at each other, confused. 

"What happened?" Martha asked as she hurried into the pasture and over to the group. She got down on her knees beside Jonathan. 

"Uncle Jesse trampled her," Jonathan replied. He sighed. "It's my fault." 

"How could it be your fault?" Martha asked. 

"Kara," Clark said softly. 

Kara moaned and opened her eyes, grimacing in pain. "Why did you do that?" she asked, almost annoyed. She tried sitting up, and she hissed in pain. 

"Don't try getting up," Clark said. He gently picked her up. "I got you." He got to his feet, and he carefully headed out of the pasture. Jonathan and Martha got to their feet and walked with their son. Martha glanced at her husband, and she could see he was trailing behind Clark and Kara, his face downcast. Martha took his arm. 

"This wasn't your fault, Jonathan Kent," she said as Clark headed up the porch steps and into the house. 

"But -" 

"No buts," Martha replied. "You know that Uncle Jesse is aggressive; Kara had no way of knowing that, and you had no way of knowing she was going to run into the herd; none of us did. Now, right now, we have an injured young girl to tend to, okay?" Jonathan stared at his wife, and he sighed, nodding. The two Kents heading into the house, just as Clark was leaning over to put Kara on the couch. 

(End of Chapter 18) 


	19. Chapter 19

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 19   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Clark, take her to your room," Martha instructed. "Jonathan, get a big bowl of ice. I'll get the first aid kit." Clark carefully trekked up the stairs with Kara while Jonathan went to the pantry, got the biggest bowl he could find, and then went to the freezer, retrieving as much ice as he could into the bowl, plus a kitchen towel to wrap the ice in. Martha retrieved the first aid kit from under the sink, and she and her husband climbed the stairs. They hurried down the hall to Clark's bedroom and walked in. 

Clark was sitting with Kara on the bed, still holding her in his arms. Kara had managed to keep her personal reservoir up, but it finally broke when she looked up and saw the Kents; tears rolled down her cheeks, stinging her wounds. 

"Hey, hey," Clark said softly, "you're safe now. Nothing can hurt you here." 

"Why didn't you let me stay?" Kara asked tearfully. "Why couldn't you just leave me alone? I was safe there!" 

"Honey, what are you talking about?" Martha asked. 

Kara took a ragged breath, then she turned into Clark, hiding her face from the Kents. "It doesn't matter." 

Clark glanced up at Jonathan and Martha. All three of them looked at the young girl, worried; they had so many questions they needed to ask, but they would have to wait until Kara's wounds were tended to. 

"Jonathan," Martha said, "could you get a towel from the bathroom, please?" Jonathan put his things down, then he hurried into the bathroom and came back a few moments later with a large bath towel. He handed it to Martha. "Kara, do you think you can sit up on your own for a moment?" 

"Why?" Kara asked. 

"Because I need to get your shirt off so I can clean your wounds," Martha answered. 

"I'm fine," Kara replied. "I'll heal up . . . I always do." 

Jonathan took a deep breath. "Kara, I don't know what's going on," he said, gently, "and we will get to the bottom of it, but right now you are getting those wounds cleaned - whether you want to or not." 

Kara craned her head and looked up at Jonathan. She could see he was dead serious, but it was different than what she had expected. She thought she would see anger, resentment, and disgust, but there were expressions there she didn't recognize. She saw the same expressions in Clark and Martha's faces. Kara tilted her head in confusion and awe. Why weren't they mad at her? She sighed, too emotionally exhausted to argue. 

"Okay," she mumbled. 

Martha smiled as Clark gently eased Kara onto the bed and into a sitting position. He got up and stood beside Jonathan. Martha sat beside Kara, then she glanced up at the guys, giving them a look. They both recognized that look and immediately turned their backs on the two women, giving them a little privacy. 

Martha's capable hands worked quickly, folding the towel vertically into thirds. It took her only a moment to complete her task before she quietly said, "Okay, fellas, the coast is clear." 

The men turned to see that Kara's shirt had been removed and the girl's more delicate parts had been covered by the folded towel, which sheathed her chest like a tube top and left most of her torso exposed. The two men winced when they saw the amount of damage done to the young girl. Her arms, torso, neck and face were dotted with deep purple bruises; there were also numerous abrasions, and the Kent men grimaced inwardly at the thought of the antiseptic stinging those wounds, causing her more pain than she was already in. 

"Okay, let's get those cuts cleaned, first of all," Martha said, speaking low and softly as she reached for the first aid kit. She opened it and removed a cotton ball from a little bag nestled at the bottom and a small bottle of iodine. She opened the bottle and poured a little bit of the liquid onto the cotton ball, then she set the bottle on the night stand before facing Kara. "Alright, this might sting a bit." She dabbed a nasty abrasion on the young girl's forehead, and Kara hissed loudly; she reached out and grabbed the end of the wooden nightstand. There was a loud crack, and everyone stared wide-eyed as the nightstand splintered under her grasp; all the objects on the top - the small lamp and the digital alarm clock - fell to the floor and landed in the pile of splintered wood. Kara stared down, a huge chunk of the top of the nightstand in her hand, her mouth forming a large 'o.' 

"Well," Clark said slowly, "I guess that answers that question." 

Jonathan looked slowly up at his son. "And what question would that be, son?" he asked. 

"Whether it was really wood or that pressed plastic stuff," Clark replied. His parents shot him looks. "Sorry, just trying to be funny." 

"What happened?" Kara asked slowly. "How . . . how could I break this?" Everyone looked at her. "What?" 

"You don't know?" Jon asked, tilting his head. 

"Know what?" Kara asked softly. 

Clark looked at his parents, his eyebrows raised. He sat next to Kara, his expression seriously. "Um, Kara, you don't know about your powers?" 

"Powers?" Kara asked. "What powers?" 

"Well, for starters," Clark answered, "you have -" 

"Clark, can we not discuss that until Kara's feeling better?" Martha interrupted. She knew that Kara needed to know about her abilities if she wasn't aware of them, but the last thing she wanted was to have her risk further injury; she gave her son a gentle but firm look. He nodded, understanding. 

"Have what?" Kara asked. "A horrible illness?" 

"No, sweetie," Martha smiled. She touched Kara's cheek with her hand. "Trust me, we'll tell you everything, but first we want you feeling better, okay?" She held up the cotton ball. "Which means we need to finish cleaning those abrasions." 

"But that stuff stings," Kara looked at the cotton ball, wincing. 

Clark held out his hand. "Here," he said, "if it stings any more, just squeeze my hand. I'll fare a lot better than the nightstand." He gave his cousin the famous Kent grin; Kara managed a small smile as she slowly took his hand. 

(End of Chapter 19) 


	20. Chapter 20

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 20   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Martha glanced up at Jonathan, and they both shared a smile before Martha went back to dabbing Kara's wounds. The young girl stopped hissing, but her eyes still squeezed shut as she grasped Clark's hand so hard her knuckles turned white. Jonathan glanced up at Clark and saw him grimace as the young girl's grip tightened, and the farmer couldn't help but smile. He didn't like seeing his son hurting, but he was proud of the fact that Clark was offering himself as a sacrifice to take the brunt end of Kara's strength, even if it wasn't anywhere near what they knew it was going to be one day. 

Martha worked as fast and as gently as possible, and she cleaned the wounds in record time. Jonathan stepped in when his wife was finished, and he took the dishrag and loaded it with ice; he wrapped the towel up and traded places with Martha. He gently placed it on Kara's right shoulder, on top of a deep purple area. He heard a soft hiss and felt the young girl tense as she squeezed Clark's hand. 

"It's okay, Kara," Jonathan said softly. "It hurts, I know, but this makes it feel better, believe me." 

"He's right," Clark said. He held his breath as he bit his lip. He knew Kara was like him, but it still surprised him how good of a grip she had for being so tiny; she was even smaller than his mother. He wondered if he was going to need an ice pack after his father was done tending to Kara. 

Jonathan almost seemed to sense how much pain both Kara and Clark were in, and he tended only to the bruises that were deep; if Kara was truly like his son, then he knew it wasn't going to take her too long to get better. He finished after tending to all the bruises, then put the damp towel in the bowl of melted ice, then he smiled and gently kissed her forehead. 

"Feel better?" he asked. Kara gave him an odd expression, but she nodded. "Good." Kara let go of Clark's hand, and Jonathan instinctively looked down. His throat dried when he saw Clark's hand was slowly bruising. His eyebrows raised slightly, but he didn't want to worry Martha or upset Kara for accidentally hurting her cousin. He put a smile on his face as he got to his feet and looked at his son. "Come on, Clark. Let's let your mother finish tending to Kara while we clean up downstairs, okay?" 

"Uh, I'd rather stay with Kara," Clark said. 

"Clark," Jonathan replied, his voice firm and gentle at the same time. 

Clark looked up at his father, and he sighed. He glanced back at Kara and smiled. "I'll be back as soon as I can." He kissed her cheek, then got up and left with his father; Jonathan looked back and smiled at his wife before shutting the bedroom door behind him. 

Martha smiled at the closed door, shaking her head slightly. She turned back to the young girl. "Okay," she said, her voice gentle, "why don't we get you out of those pants and into some more comfortable clothes?" She walked over to the small dresser near the bed and opened one of the drawers. She pulled out a set of gray sweatpants and a white tank top. She came over and sat beside Kara. "I thought you might like some other clothes to wear until we can figure out what to do, so I came in last night after you and Clark were asleep and put these in the dresser." She gently helped Kara into the tank top and then helped the young girl out of Jonathan's tattered sweatpants and into the new pair. "There you go." She gathered up the first aid kit and other things, then she set them aside on the dresser. Martha came back over and gently helped Kara under the sheets. 

"I'm sorry," Kara said softly. 

"About what?" Martha replied. 

"The . . . what's it called?" Kara asked, indicating the splintered wood on the floor beside the bed. 

"Nightstand?" Martha suggested. 

"Nightstand," Kara said slowly, letting the new word roll around on her tongue. "Yes, nightstand." 

"Oh, Kara, don't worry about that," Martha said. She sat beside the young girl. "It's just an old thing anyway." She smiled. "The most important thing is that you're safe." 

"It is?" Kara asked. 

Martha nodded. "Of course it is, sweetie. You are more important than any object in this room or house or anywhere." She could see that concept was new to Kara, and she took a deep breath. "Kara, I know that you're in a new place, and it's a little overwhelming, and you're not sure what to do, but would you mind if we talked for a while?" 

"About what?" Kara asked. 

Martha took a deep breath. "About where you got those bruises from." 

"I got them from the . . . that animal," Kara replied. "Remember?" 

"Kara, I mean the bruises I saw last night," Martha said gently. 

"They're from the bumping in the spaceship," Kara said quickly, turning her head. 

Martha leaned over and tilted Kara's chin toward her until the young girl was looking at her. "Kara, honey, I don't think those bruises came from bumping around in a spaceship," she said gently. Kara's eyes welled up with tears, causing Martha's heart to ache. "Kara, what happened?" 

"I'm not supposed to tell," Kara whispered. "He said if I ever told anyone, he'd hurt me again." 

"Kara, you are safe here," Martha said. "We will not let anyone hurt you." She had to take a deep breath to keep from crying herself. "Now, who hurt you?" 

(End of Chapter 20) 


	21. Chapter 21

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 21   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Jonathan and Clark silently descended the stairs into the kitchen. Clark surreptitiously kept his hand out of sight from his father, partially because he didn't think it was a big deal, partially because he didn't think his father would notice, and partially because he was just being stubborn. 

"She's going to be fine," he said, making smooth conversation. "She's like me . . . she'll be fine." 

Clark wasn't being real obvious, but Jonathan was his father; even if he hadn't seen Clark's hand he would have known something was hinky. He glanced over at his son as he sat on a stool at the kitchen island. He was actually good at subtly keeping his hand out of sight, casually behind his back. 

"Uh huh," Jonathan replied as he walked over to the cupboard and removed a dishtowel. He headed off to the freezer to get some ice, listening to his son talk. 

Clark chuckled. "You know, part of me still feels like this is a dream," he said. He sighed. "But I know it's not . . . I really have a cousin . . . ." He glanced at his father and saw him putting ice in the towel. "Dad, I love you and Mom so much, but I can't help but feel a special connection with her." 

Jonathan smiled as he wrapped the towel around the ice. He turned and walked over to his son. "That's fine, son," he said quietly. "What you're feeling is normal. Now, give me your hand." 

Clark blinked, then he tried to pretend he didn't hear his father. "You really think that's normal? You're not mad or upset or anything?" 

Jonathan looked at his son; the smile was still in place, but his voice was firmer, and his eyes hardened. "Clark, give me your hand." 

Clark sighed and rolled his eyes. "Dad, I'm fine." 

"Clark, I saw your expression when Kara squeezed your hand," Jonathan said, "and your hand afterwards. I may be older, but I'm still your father, so don't think you can get anything past me; just give up this futile attempt and do as your told." 

"Dad, just stick me under the sun tomorrow," Clark joked, grinning his famous grin. "I'll be fine." Jonathan gave his son a look, causing Clark's grin to fade. He became serious and quiet and just a tad shy, sighing. "Dad, look, I appreciate that you care; seriously, it means a lot to me that you still do that; but really, it's nothing, I mean, everyone else deals with little stuff like this - there's no reason I can't, right?" He shrugged, then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his glasses, trying to look innocent and roguish at the same time. "Besides, with Short Stack around now, I'm gonna have to get used to being sort of vulnerable for once. It's okay, really. I've got my game face. I'm fine. You should be worried about her." He flipped the glasses open with his good hand and put them on. 

Jonathan sighed and said, "Son, first of all, I am worried about her, but I'm worried about you too; you're my son, and I'm always going to worry about you. Secondly, Short Stack?" 

Clark shrugged. "She's tiny, Dad - even smaller than Mom." He smiled wryly. "Never thought you'd see the day when someone like her would put a hurting on me, huh?" 

Jonathan genuinely laughed, then he gently held out his hand. "Clark, please give me your hand." Clark looked hesitant, but he knew arguing would be pointless. He sighed and held it out, palm up, for his father to see. 

Jonathan could see the small, hand-shaped bruise on his son's hand. It was starting to look bad, and Jonathan had to stop himself from getting mad at Kara for hurting his son; he knew she hadn't expected to hurt him, so getting upset at her would only serve to have her scared of him, and that was the last thing he wanted. He held his son's hand and tenderly dabbed the small bruises on the palm and on the back. Then he nestled the soft cloth into the center of Clark's palm. Clark winced a little; it hurt a bit because of the bruise itself and also because of the pressure and ice. Jonathan knew it was hurting his son, but he still held Clark's hand and the ice because he knew it would help him more than hurt him. 

"Clark, there is something we need to talk about," Jonathan said seriously, "and I wanted to do this now before too much time passed." 

"It's about Kara, isn't it?" Clark asked. 

Jonathan nodded. "We need to figure out what's going to happen to her." 

"Dad, I -" 

"And it's not a matter of not wanting her, Clark, so don't even ask that." 

"Then what is it?" 

"Clark, if she were the age you were when you landed, it'd be easier," Jonathan explained, "but she's a teenager. We can't just take her in like this." 

"We can't just turn her away either," Clark replied. "She has nowhere else to go." 

"I know that, but she no past here. She has no school records, no birth certificate, no Social Security; she doesn't even have an Earth name. If we just take her in someone will get suspicious and start digging around; they'll find out she has no past, and then they'll take her away. It wouldn't take them too long after that to figure out she's different; that will put all of us in danger." 

"So, what do we do?" Clark asked. 

There was a knock on the kitchen door, and both Jonathan and Clark looked over. Their hearts stopped when they saw the bald man in the sharp business suit standing on the porch; he smiled at the two men inside. 

"Good morning, Clark, Mr. Kent," he said warmly. "Mind if I come in?" 

(End of Chapter 21) 


	22. Chapter 22

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 22   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Father and son glanced at each other, worried. The last person they expected - and wanted - to see on their porch that morning was Lex Luthor. Two years ago, Clark had unofficially ended his friendship with Lex once he found out Lex was responsible for the airplane that nearly crashed in the middle of Metropolis - the plane that Clark had saved as Superman. The irony about that was the fact that Lex had made it his mission to destroy Superman and everything he stood for, while at the same time keeping his friendship with Clark and the Kents. Clark, the Kents, and those who were in on Clark's secret - Pete, Chloe, and Lana - had to keep up the pretense of still being friends with Lex to prevent Lex from suspecting anything that would put them all in danger. 

Jonathan looked over at Lex and smiled, out of habit and not sincerity. "Lex," he said as his son got to his feet. "What brings you here?" 

"I'm here to make sure the Air Force wasn't harassing you," Lex said as he opened the door and walked in. 

"How did you hear about that?" Clark asked. 

"Clark, come on," Lex replied. "You know I have contacts everywhere. I heard the Air Force was interested in some falling debris and that they were harassing your family." He paused. "Including your recently arrived cousin." He smiled at Clark. "You never said you had a cousin, Clark." 

"Distant relative," Jonathan said. 

"Very distant," Clark muttered. 

"I hope they didn't scare her into thinking Smallville was an awful place to be," Lex added. There was a pause and Lex smiled. "Well, am I going to be able to meet her, or is she in quarantine or something until further notice?" 

"She's resting," Jonathan said. 

"Ah," Lex nodded. "Well, I'm going to be hanging around town to make sure the Air Force doesn't overstep its boundaries, so I'm sure I'll see her around." He and the Kent men looked up as Martha came down; they could see she looked extremely upset, and there were tears in her eyes. She stopped at the foot of the stairs when she saw Lex. 

"Lex," she replied, surprised, her voice wavering a bit. 

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" Jonathan asked as he and Clark hurried over to the red-headed woman. 

"We need to talk," she whispered. She glanced over at Lex, not daring to say anymore in front of the businessman. 

Lex saw the look, and he nodded. "Well, it looks like you have matters to attend to, so I'll leave." He glanced at Clark's hand and saw the bruise. "Clark, what happened to your hand?" 

"My hand got caught in the truck door last night," Clark replied. "Nothing broke, thank goodness . . . just hurts." He flexed his hand a little, wincing. 

Lex chuckled. "Clark Kent," he said, shaking his head, "always the klutz." He nodded again before heading out of the door. Clark focused his x-ray vision; he watched Lex get into his Ferarri and drive off. He turned back to his parents, his normal vision back on. 

"What's Lex doing here?" Martha asked, her voice wavering, but her eyes were cold. 

"He heard about the falling debris," Jonathan answered. "He's going to be staying around for a while." He clearly didn't like the unexpected anomaly, but he knew there wasn't much he could do without causing suspicions; he and his family would just take the necessary precautions. At the moment, though, his wife was his concern. "Martha, what's wrong?" 

"It's Kara," Martha replied. She saw the concerned look in her men's eyes. "She's fine, but there's something you both need to know." She swallowed. "I need you both to promise not to react on impulse to what I'm about to tell you; there's nothing we can do about it right now, and Kara doesn't need any more reason to be afraid." 

"Martha, what -" 

"Jonathan, please, just promise." 

Jonathan looked at his son, then back at his wife. He sighed. "I promise." 

"Clark?" Martha asked. 

Clark nodded. "I promise, Mom." 

"Thank you," Martha said. She sighed. "I guess there's no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it. Kara told me the real reason why she's here; she wasn't sent here because her city was dying." 

"Then why is she here?" Jonathan asked. "Is she here to take Clark away from us?" 

"Dad, why would you even think that?" Clark asked. "You still think after everything that's happened, she's still a threat?" 

"Clark, when it comes to your safety, I question everything," Jonathan replied. He looked at his wife. "Martha?" 

Martha took a deep breath. "Kara wasn't sent here to do anything," she said. "She ran away." 

(End of Chapter 22) 


	23. Chapter 23

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 23   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Ran away?" Jonathan asked, his voice getting louder with every syllable. 

"Jonathan, you promised not to get upset," Martha said. 

"She ran away from her family, and you're telling me not to get upset?" Jonathan asked. "Martha, what -" 

"Jonathan, she ran away from her family, because they were hurting her," Martha interrupted. Jonathan stopped, and he and Clark stared at Martha, stunned. 

"What do you mean they were hurting her?" Clark asked softly. 

"Because I wasn't what they wanted," a soft voice said. The Kents turned and saw Kara halfway down the stairs, staring at them through tear-filled eyes. The bruises on her face and shoulders were less prominent since the last time Clark and Jonathan saw her, but they were still there. She looked guilty and sat down on the step, almost as if she wanted to shrink in on herself. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to overhear." 

Clark brushed past his parents and climbed the step, sitting beside his cousin. "It's okay, Kara," he said. He sighed. "Did they really hurt you?" 

Kara slowly nodded. "They wanted a boy so badly; he would have been able to take over my father's position once my father died, but the Council refused his request for a male child. My parents were told that they could only have a girl; they knew it was their only chance to pass on their legacy, but they - my father especially - never let go of their resentment." She looked up at her cousin tearfully. "They hated me even before I came out of the birthing matrix." 

Clark looked up at his parents; they had joined the two on the steps, sitting a few steps below Clark and Kara, watching with tears in their eyes. Clark looked back at his cousin. "Kara, is that how you got the bruises?" 

The young girl nodded. "Every time I made a mistake, whether it was doing a calculation wrong in my studies or reciting a Kryptonian law incorrectly, my father would take his crystal cane and . . . ." Tears fell down her cheeks. "And he would hit me several times, telling me that I was a worthless child, ungrateful, and that - that everyone on Argo City would have been better off had I been a male child." She took a ragged breath. "And my mother did nothing but stand by and let it happen; she resented me so much, and she took every opportunity she had to remind me of my 'failure.'" 

Clark felt nauseated by what his cousin had just told him. He could feel the bile rising in his throat as his anger slowly built inside him. He had seen so many atrocities on Earth, and Jor-El had been an indication of what Kryptonian thinking had been like, but he still couldn't fathom *anyone* hurting their own flesh and blood. His own eyes filled with tears as he tried to speak, but he couldn't think of anything to say. 

Jonathan saw his son's reaction; it mirrored his own, but he knew someone had to say something. He stood up until he was eye level with the young girl and cupped her face in his hands. "Kara, listen to me," he said, his voice gentle. "You are not a failure; you did nothing wrong." 

"But -" 

"But nothing," Jonathan interrupted. "You are far from being worthless. It is not your fault that your parents were so blindsided in their ways to see how precious you are." 

"What's so precious about me?" Kara asked. 

"Everything," Clark answered. Kara looked over at Clark. "Kara, I can't explain it, but you are precious to all of us." 

"But why?" Kara whispered. 

"Because you are family," Jonathan replied. 

"I don't belong here," Kara whispered. "I don't deserve this." 

Jonathan brushed a loose strand of hair from Kara's face. "Kara, the only thing you don't deserve is to be scared anymore. You deserve to be happy and to be loved." He glanced at his son and wife; they knew where he was going, and they gave him small smiles of encouragement. Jonathan looked back at Kara; he knew what he was going to say, and it wasn't anything he had to really think about. It was what a real man and father would do. "And we will give you all of that . . . if you'll let us." Kara looked up, her mouth slightly open. "Kara, we want you to stay with us - to be a part of our family." 

Kara stared at Jonathan; she saw someone looking at her like she mattered . . . that she was important. Martha and Clark held similar expressions in their eyes. Her first reaction was fear - she had no idea what to do. However, something inside her told her that it was okay . . . that she would always safe with those people. Overwhelmed, her emotional resolve broke, and she burst into tears. 

Clark put his arms around Kara and held her closely; he rarely cried, but he couldn't keep his tears inside any longer. After a few moments, he felt his mother's arms slip around him and his cousin, holding them tightly close to her as she cried herself. A few moments later, a second pair of arms, stronger than Martha's, slipped around the small group. 

At the core of this odd cocoon, Kara closed her eyes against the tears and took a moment to breathe in her surroundings. She didn't know what to make of this group embrace or how to behave - this definitely would never have happened on Argo City, where physical contact like this was dismissed as barbaric and unsanitary. But just now, just for a minute, she let her spine relax a bit, and she found that being in the arms of these people pleased her. She couldn't reason it out or make it fit into her ingrained sense of the order of things, and her lack of control over the situation made her nervous, but she found that, given the chance, in her ideal reality she might have stayed like this all night. She smelled the unique fragrances of her cousin and his family and could only describe them as honest. She felt the warmth coming from the three larger forms surrounding her, and if she sat very still, she could just feel three other hearts beating almost as one. She realized that Kal-El - Clark - was totally comfortable with his human family, and for the first time, she allowed herself a kernel of desire that one day they might be her family, too. 

(End of Chapter 23) 


	24. Chapter 24

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 24   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Thirty minutes later, Clark came down the stairs and saw his parents sitting at the island, drinking hot apple cider from mugs. Clark grabbed a mug from the pantry and poured some of the cider from the pot on the stove into his mug before joining his parents at the island, sitting on the stool beside his mother. 

"How's Kara?" Martha asked. 

"I think I finally convinced her that she didn't do anything wrong," Clark answered softly. He had seen so many atrocities in the world, but he still couldn't understand why parents would hurt their own children. He sighed. "I don't get it. Why didn't she tell us the truth about why she really came here?" 

"Because she was scared," Jonathan replied. "Because she had spent her entire life being betrayed and mistreated by people who were supposed to love and protect her." He sighed. "I'm surprised she even trusts us." He was still reeling from Kara's revelation and feeling guilty about his assumptions towards her. 

"Well, I think I know why she does," Clark said. Martha and Jonathan looked up. "She told me that there was one person in Argo City who did care about her; he was the only person she did trust." 

"Who?" Martha asked. 

"His name was Rok-Var," Clark explained. "He was her teacher and mentor while she was growing up. He had been brought in after she was a few years old to prepare her for becoming Kryptonian equivalent of a corporate wife, which she says would have happened to her if she hadn't left Argo City." He took a deep breath. "He was also the person who taught her about Earth and me." 

"Her parents allowed that?" Jonathan asked. 

"No," Clark said. "She said he would teach her in secret; he told her everything he knew about what living here was like, especially about emotions and physical contact." He smiled wryly. "He learned everything he knew from 'borrowing' the records Jor-El gave to his brother before Krypton exploded." 

"But if he cared about her so much, then why would he let her go through all that?" Martha asked. 

"Mom, Krypton was based on social order; Rok-Var was considered part of the lower class, while the El family was ranked near the top." He sighed. "But it didn't stop him from risking everything to help her escape. He just needed time to make sure Kara had a chance." 

"What did he do?" Jonathan asked. 

"He built a spaceship for her to escape in; it took him a few years, because he had to work in secret, but he finally finished it. He used Jor-El's information to make sure Kara ended up where I was, and he equipped it with a life support system so Kara would survive the trip through space. Kara said that he had come to her bedroom one evening after she had been beaten, because she misquoted a Kryptonian saying. He took her to where the ship was waiting, and told her it was time." He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. "He put her in the ship and told her to close her eyes and sleep the entire time, and that the next thing she would see when she would be her cousin's face." He took a deep breath. "That was the last thing she remembered before she woke up in our living room last night." He looked at his parents. "He put her in a sort of suspended animation, so she wouldn't age during the journey; that was two of our years ago." 

"That would explain why she still had the bruises," Martha replied. 

"She also wanted me to let you know that Rok-Var equipped the ship to teach her English, so she would be able to communicate with me in case I didn't know how to speak Kryptonian," Clark added. "And that's how she was able to understand us and speak like us." 

"How is she now?" Jonathan asked. 

"Unsure," Clark replied honestly. He sighed. "I told her we really did want her to stay, but I don't think it's gelling with her just yet; it's going to take time." He smiled slightly. "Good news is that her bruises have almost faded away, and she says she's feeling a bit better." He glanced at his parents furtively. 

Jonathan recognized that look. "Son, what do you have in mind?" 

Clark shrugged. "Well, she doesn't know that she has superpowers; all Rok-Var told her was that she would be extra special on Earth. I was thinking I could let her in on that particular secret." He tapped her glasses. "She also wants to know why I wear these; I haven't told her yet, but I don't think I should wait too long." 

"Clark, I understand you're wanting to play big brother and show her how do to everything," Jonathan said gently, "but it's too dangerous right now." 

"Dad, I -" 

"Clark, Lex is in town, looking for answers to an object that fell from the sky last night, along with the Air Force, and we all know it wasn't debris from a satellite. We can't give them any reason to suspect anything." 

Clark sighed. Despite his eagerness, he knew his father was right. "Okay," he replied. "But she needs to get out of the house; she's going stir crazy, and her strength has already kicked in." 

"And we don't need her breaking anything else," Martha added, glancing at her husband. 

Jonathan turned to his wife and saw she was biting her lower lip to keep from smiling; he gave her a friendly glance. He sighed and turned to his son, smiling. "Sure, you can take her out." Clark grinned. "But stay on the property, okay? And keep her away from Uncle Jesse." 

Clark snickered as he got to his feet. "Well, with her staying on the farm now, let's hope she's not scared of cattle for the rest of her life." Martha laughed and even Jonathan chuckled. Clark climbed the stairs and walked down the hall to his old room; he walked in the open door and saw Kara staring out the window. Clark smiled and leaned against the door, just watching her, part of him still amazed she was there. 

"Kara?" he said after a few moments. He young girl whirled around, startled. "Sorry." 

"It's okay," Kara replied. 

"Look, I know you're probably going a little crazy being cooped up and all," Clark said, "so how would you like to get out for a few minutes?" 

"Really?" Kara asked. 

"Really," Clark answered. He turned his back to her and got on his knees; he turned and grinned at her. "I'll even give you a ride." 

Kara smiled and rushed her cousin, leaping onto his back. Clark grimaced under the force of the impact, but he quickly recovered as he got to his feet. He supported her as she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder; he smiled as their cheeks touched. He was a little quicker with the second piggyback descent into the kitchen, and he saw his parents still sitting at the island. He met their eyes, and they smiled at each other as Clark made his way to the door and headed out with his cousin on his back. 

(End of Chapter 24) 


	25. Chapter 25

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 25   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara held onto her cousin tightly as he galloped down the gravel drive. He grinned as he heard her gasp a little as he picked up speed, breaking into a full run; he laughed softly when she shrieked and grasped him tightly. He slowed down and stopped just outside the open barn doors and gently set the young girl down. She looked up at the red building in awe. 

"It's called a barn," Clark explained. "We store hay and feed and the farm equipment in it." 

"Hay?" Kara asked, tilting her head. 

"It's to feed the cows," Clark said. 

"Cows?" 

"They were the animals that you saw in the field." 

"Even Uncle Jesse?" Clark nodded. "Clark, why is he so mean?" 

Clark shrugged. "Some bulls are like that." 

"I thought you said he was a cow." 

"Well," Clark replied slowly, "he is . . . sort of." He kicked himself mentally for forgetting that Kara wasn't familiar with farm jargon. He cleared his throat, trying to see how he could explain it to Kara. "You see, the boys are called bulls, and the girls are called cows. All together, they make up a herd, but sometimes we call them cattle or cows." 

"So many names for one thing," Kara said. "Why is that?" 

"Just a matter of preference," Clark replied. He glanced down at his cousin. "That's one of the perks about living on Earth: you get to make your own choices . . . most of the time." 

"What about the rest of the time?" Kara asked. 

"Well, there are still rules you have to follow," Clark explained. "You can't not have rules, otherwise there'd be chaos." 

Kara nodded, understanding. She peered through the open barn doors, then looked up at Clark. "Can I go in?" 

"Sure." Clark took her hand and led her inside. Kara breathed in the smells and felt the sod and dirt under her feet as she took in the barn's interior; she had never seen so many different and unique. . . things. Clark was patient and explained everything to her as best he could, from the farming tools and equipment to what hay actually was; he didn't know if he did a good job, but Kara seemed satisfied. Clark suddenly flashed a small grin to his baby cousin and then took her hands. "Come on, I want to show you something." He led her up the stairs to the loft above. Kara stopped and looked around, amazed at everything that was in there. She gave her cousin a questioning expression. 

"It's my Fortress of Solitude," he said, smiling. "Dad built it for me a long time ago." He walked over to the loft window and opened it, letting sunlight pour into the loft itself. 

Kara closed her eyes, but it wasn't from the sudden brightness. It was as if the light itself was penetrating deep into her body. It was something that was strange, but not because she hadn't seen sunlight before in her life; it was strange because of how natural it felt, having the warmth radiate deep into her core. 

"You okay?" Clark asked. 

Kara opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine," she said. She walked over and looked out the open loft window. Seeing the property from higher up, coupled with the sharp breeze that gently whipped around her, made the young girl smile. "It's so colorful . . . like everything has a life to it." Clark smiled down at her. 

"Clark!" Clark and Kara looked down and saw Jonathan walking towards the barn. "Mr. White's on the phone." 

"What does he want?" Clark asked. 

"When you didn't show up at the Planet, he called around to see where you were," Jonathan explained. "I told him there was a family emergency, so he says take your time, but he wants to talk to you about the story you're working on." 

"We'll be right down," Clark said. "Come on, Kara." 

"Who's Mr. White?" Kara asked as she followed Clark down the stairs and out the barn door. 

"He's my boss," Clark explained. 

"And you work on another planet?" Kara asked. 

Clark chuckled. "No, I work at a place called the Daily Planet," he explained. Kara looked confused as they met up with Jonathan. "Don't worry, I'll explain everything; I promise." He trotted back to the house, leaving Jonathan and Kara alone on the gravel drive. 

Jonathan chuckled and shook his head, then glanced down at Kara; she was fidgeting a little. "Kara, are you okay?" he asked. 

Kara nodded. "Yeah," she replied. "I guess so." 

Jonathan knelt down and put his hands on Kara's shoulder, looking right in her eyes. "Kara, what is it?" Kara looked uncertain. "Kara, you can tell me what's wrong." 

"Nothing's wrong," Kara said. "I just wanted to know if . . . ." 

"If what?" Jonathan asked. 

"If it would be okay if I ran," Kara said quietly. She looked almost embarrassed as her voice dropped to a mere whisper. "I was never allowed to run in Argo City." 

Jonathan tenderly cupped Kara's face in his hands and smiled warmly. "Of course, sweetie," he said. "You can run as much as you want to." 

"Really?" Kara whispered. 

"Really," Jonathan said. Kara looked shocked, but then she slowly smiled. Jonathan stood up, kissed her forehead, and then ruffled her hair gently. "Go on." Kara looked like she was going to burst into a puddle of pure bliss as she bolted from Jonathan down the gravel drive. 

Jonathan watched the young girl, but his smile quickly faded as Kara suddenly blurred at full speed - Clark full speed - and disappeared into the forest across the street from their farm. A second later he heard a loud, sickening crash. 

(End of Chapter 25) 


	26. Chapter 26

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 26   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Thanks for the heads up, Clark," Perry said. 

"No problem, Mr. White," Clark said, cradling the phone between his shoulder and ear as he helped carry dishes to the sink while his mother wiped the counters with a damp sponge. 

"Oh, and don't worry about rushing back," Perry added. "You take care of your family first, okay? Lois and Chloe can cover you for a few days." 

"I will," Clark said. "And thanks, sir." 

"Talk to you later, kid," Perry said before hanging up. Clark hung and turned to his mother. 

"So?" Martha asked. 

"I get a few days off apparently," Clark replied as he placed the phone back in its place. "And Lois and Chloe are taking over for me until I get back." 

Martha opened her mouth, but she was interrupted by a loud crash outside. Both she and Clark instinctively looked in the direction the sound came from. 

"Martha!" Jonathan shouted. "Clark!" 

"Dad," Clark said before he blurred out of the house. He ran to his father, who was running as fast as he could down the drive toward the street. Clark gently grabbed his father, stopping his sprint. "Dad, what's wrong?" 

"It's . . . Kara," Jonathan gasped, trying to catch his breath. "She . . . she . . . ." 

"She what, Dad?" Clark asked. He looked around. "Dad, where *is* Kara?" 

Jonathan kept gasping, and Clark wondered for a moment if his father was going to pass out. The farmer finally gave up on talking and pointed. Clark looked to where he was pointing, the forest across the street. He focused on the forest with a combination of his telescopic vision and x-ray vision. Halfway through the forest, he saw a small form wrapped around a tree; the sight shocked his vision back to normal. 

"What happened?" Martha asked as she hurried out of the house and over to her men. 

"Kara's getting up close and personal with a tree," Clark replied. 

"What?!" Martha's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Clark started off towards the forest, but Jonathan grabbed his arm. 

"Son, we're coming with you," he said. 

Clark looked hesitant, but he knew he wasn't going to win against his father, so he and his parents hurried off towards the forest. 

"How on earth did she end up in the forest?" Martha asked as they searched through the thick brush and dense foliage. 

"She kinda morphed into Speedy Gonzales," Jonathan explained. He glanced at Clark. "Maybe you were right, son. I think it's time we tell her about her abilities . . . and your secret as well." 

The trio came to a small clearing and stopped. In the distance, Kara was wrapped around a tree, almost like she was hugging it; the tree itself quaked slightly, but the Kents could see no external damage - either with the tree or, more importantly, with the young girl. 

Clark thought he was going to have to peel his cousin off of the tree, but Jonathan stepped forward and nudged up behind her. He talked softly to her, touching her hands and arms and shoulders, warming her back, reassuring her that everything was fine, that no one was upset, and that he just needed to make sure she was okay. Clark did a quick visual checkup; just as he expected, there were no injuries. He looked over at his mother. 

"She's fine," he said. Martha breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Jonathan talk with the young girl. They watched as Jonathan managed to convince Kara to let go of the tree. The young girl was wide-eyed as the farmer - out of paternal habit - checked her over once more, then pulled her into a gentle hug. 

"You okay to walk?" Jonathan asked. Kara nodded. He smiled gently. "Let's get you home." With one arm around her shoulders, holding her close, he led her to Martha. Kara had one hand on Jonathan's back, below his rib cage and close to herself; the other slightly higher on the same side in front. 

Martha put her arm around Kara's waist; the young girl was so small that Martha's arm reached around and touched her husband's hand. Jonathan glanced over Kara's head and smiled at his wife's touch. Together, they walked with Kara out of the woods as Clark followed behind. 

As they headed back to the house, Kara's legs were shaking; it felt good, feeling the wind in her face like that, but it scared her. She glanced up at Jonathan. "Was . . . was that supposed to happened?" she asked in a stunned, little girl voice. 

"Don't worry, Kara," Clark said. "It happened to me too." 

Jonathan chuckled, remember all the times Clark ran into things before he learned to control his speed. He squeezed the young girl gently as they headed into the house. Jonathan and Clark helped Kara to the couch while Martha went to the kitchen. She started preparing some tea on the stove while the Kent men began picking woodchips from the young girl's hair and clothes. 

"Kara, would you like to hear a story?" Jonathan asked. 

"About what?" Kara asked. 

"Well, since you're going to be staying with us," Jonathan answered, "how about we tell you a story about this family and how we came to live on this farm?" 

"Okay," Kara replied with a smile. She settled in on the couch in between the two men as Martha brought a warm mug of freshly-brewed tea; she handed it to the young girl, then she sat over in the rocking chair and listened with a smile on her face as her husband began talking. 

(End of Chapter 26) 


	27. Chapter 27

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 27   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

For the rest of the afternoon, Jonathan told Kara about how his ancestors came to Smallville, and how his family had acquired the farm. Clark took over for Jonathan when the farmer had to go take care of some chores (it was a month away from Harvest); he told Kara about when he came to live with Jonathan and Martha as a little boy, and then he started talking about all the problems that he had with his abilities growing up, and how he and his parents worked through them. He was careful only to tell her about her strength, speed, and semi-invulnerability at the moment, because he wasn't sure how she'd react to learning that one day she'd be able to fly. By the time Jonathan came back (a couple hours later), Kara seemed to have accepted her new abilities, and Clark was already teaching her how to control them. 

"So, does she know everything?" Jonathan asked Martha as she puttered around, getting dinner prepared. He watched as Clark was showing Kara how to hold things without breaking them. "Is that the glass vase I gave you last year for Christmas?" 

"Don't worry," Martha said. "She hasn't broken anything for half an hour; Clark's been working her up from the pillows." 

"Smart boy," Jonathan replied. 

"She has a handle on her speed, too," Martha added. "And no, he hasn't told her everything. Clark wanted to wait until we were all together before he told her that particular secret." 

Jonathan nodded, and breathed in the wonderful aroma. "Meat loaf?" he asked, smiling. 

"It will be ready in half an hour," Martha answered. "Which should give us enough time to fill in Kara on what Clark does." They headed into the living room, and the two cousins looked over. Kara smiled proudly, holding up the vase. 

"I think I got it under control," she said. 

"That's great," Jonathan replied. Kara beamed. He turned to Clark. "You ready to tell her, son?" 

Clark nodded. "Kara, there's something else about we need to talk about," he said. He gently took the vase from his young cousin and put it back in its place. Jonathan and Martha took the rocking chairs. Clark sighed and looked serious. "Kara, there's a reason I wear these glasses, and it has to do with my powers." He glanced at his parents, and then he sighed. He took off his glasses and put them in his pocket. He took a deep breath, then he quickly spun in a circle; he stopped a few seconds later. 

Kara's eyes widened, and her mouth formed a large 'O.' Her cousin was standing before her in a pair of blue tights with a matching top, a pair of tight, bright red trunks, matching red boots, and a long, flowing red cape. A yellow belt encircled his waist, and a red, highly stylized letter "S," inscribed within a yellow shield and bordered in red, was emblazoned on his chest. She slowly looked over at Jonathan and Martha, trying to gauge their reactions, but they were calm and collected, trying to gauge her reaction; Kara glanced back at Clark. 

"Are you being punished for something?" she asked. 

Clark rolled his eyes. "No, I'm not being punished." He held out his arms. "This is why I wear the glasses." 

"I'm confused," Kara asked. 

"Kara," Jonathan explained, "Clark spent all his life having to hide his abilities from the world, because there were people who would hurt Clark and anyone close to him if they knew about him. Then, a couple years ago, something happened, and Clark had to choose between saving a lot of people or keeping his secret; he chose to save the people." 

"Because of that," Martha spoke up, "Clark decided that he wanted to go public, to be able to use his abilities to help people without having to be secretive about it. So, that's where we came up with the costume." 

"Not my first choice," Jonathan muttered. Martha gave him a look. "Well, it wasn't." 

"What about the glasses?" Kara asked. 

"Clark had been wearing them for a few years," Jonathan explained, "because of something that happened to him; he needed to wear the glasses so he could see." 

Kara asked, "Does he need them now?" 

"Not to see," Clark replied. "My vision got better." 

"And you kept wearing the glasses?" Clark nodded. "Why?" 

"Because I looked different wearing them," Clark answered. "And by taking them off, that allowed me the chance to use my abilities to help people without them knowing who I was; I was still secretive about helping people, but in case they ever saw me they wouldn't know who I was." 

"Is that also why you wear the costume?" 

Clark nodded. "People have unusual way of thinking: when I'm like this, they think I'm one person - a hero named Superman." 

"Superman . . . ." Kara replied slowly. 

"And when I'm like this" Clark spun in a circle, changing back into his civilian clothes; he put his glasses back on "they think I'm just normal Clark Kent." 

"Just because of the glasses?" 

"And the costume," Jonathan asked. "Believe me, in that thing, people aren't really looking at his face." Kara giggled. 

Martha gently swatted Jonathan, then looked at the young girl. "Kara, that's also why it's important for you to keep your abilities secret from the world." 

(End of Chapter 27) 


	28. Chapter 28

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 28   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"But what about Pete?" Kara asked. "He knows." 

"Yes, he does," Clark said. "And so do a few other friends of mine, but for the most part, people think I'm two different people." 

Kara nodded slowly, understanding. She contemplated that for a moment, then asked, "Does this mean I'll have to wear glasses and wear an outfit like that too?" 

"No!" Jonathan, Martha, and Clark quickly said. Kara jumped, looking startled. The Kents calmed down. 

Clark said, "Kara, being Superman - the person I am wearing that costume - is dangerous. There are a lot of enemies who hate Superman, and they try to kill him; I didn't even become Superman until a couple years ago." 

"Good." Kara looked relieved. "Sorry, Clark, but I can't see myself wearing a blue and red costume like that." 

"Good," Jonathan replied. "You just concentrating on being a part of this family." 

"What about her sudden appearance?" Martha asked. "People will notice." 

Jonathan shrugged. "We'll figure something out." He sniffed the aroma wafting in the air. "Until then, why don't we go eat dinner?" The four went into the kitchen, and Jonathan and Martha went about getting dinner served while Clark and Kara went to the table and sat down. In a few moments, everyone was sitting and eating. 

"So, what is this called?" Kara asked, poking the main dish with her fork. 

"Meat loaf," Clark answered. He showed her how to cut it; Kara followed and then ate some. She smiled. 

"I think she approves," Jonathan smiled. 

"And this?" Kara asked, pointing to the white, fluffy mound. 

"Mashed potatoes," Clark replied. 

"And these?" Kara asked as she speared a small, elongated orange object with her fork. 

"They're called carrots," Martha explained. "They're a vegetable." 

"Vegetable?" Kara asked. 

"I think tomorrow we need to have a lesson on Earth food," Jonathan smiled. Clark chuckled, and everyone watched Kara sample the new foods. She liked each of them, and happily devoured everything on her plate. "And it's nice to see someone clean her plate without complaining." 

"Okay, now you're making me look bad," Clark said to Kara. He grinned to let her know he was joking. Kara smiled back. After everyone had eaten, Martha and Jonathan gathered up the plates and silverware and headed for the sink. Halfway there, one of the plates fell from Jonathan's hand; he cringed, waiting for the inevitable crash. 

Kara glanced over and saw the plate falling in slow motion; she looked at Jonathan and saw his expression. She jumped from her chair and ran over as fast as she could. She didn't think she'd make it in time, but the plate was falling at an unusually slow rate; it was only halfway in its fall when Kara snagged it. She stared at it for a moment, shocked and amazed before she stood up and looked up at Jonathan, holding out the plate to him. 

"Here," she said, looking amazed. She saw the Kents were also a bit amazed. 

"Thank you, Kara," Jonathan replied, smiling warmly. He and Martha shared a smile as they took the dishes to the sink and watched them. Kara glanced over at Clark, and he beckoned her over. She went back and sat down. 

"Good job," Clark whispered. 

"Thanks," Kara replied. She caught a whiff of something. "What's that wonderful smell?" 

Clark recognized the aroma, and he grinned at his cousin. "I think you'll like it." A few moments later, Jonathan and Martha brought over plates and forks. Each plate had a huge slice of Martha's homemade organic apple pie on it. They set the plates down and took their chairs. Clark gobbled up his slice in a short time; Kara followed suit, while the adults ate at a slower pace. 

After everyone was finished, Martha and Kara went upstairs to get the young girl ready for bed while Clark and Jonathan tended to the dishes. 

"Dad, I think I know a way to solve the dilemma with Kara," Clark said. 

(End of Chapter 28) 


	29. Chapter 29

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 29   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Jonathan looked at his son. "How?" 

"Chloe." 

"Clark -" 

"Dad, I know what you're going to say, but who else do you know with that much computer knowledge that we can trust?" 

Jonathan thought about that. He nodded after a few moments. "We'll need to talk to your mother, Clark," he said. 

Clark and Jonathan went back to the dishes. A few minutes later, they finished as Martha and Kara came back downstairs. Martha had lent the young girl a pair of some green flannel pajamas; the young girl was wearing them. Kara was also holding a book; grinning, she handed it to Clark. The young man took it, and he smiled when he recognized the book: a worn-out copy of Dr. Seuss' 'Green Eggs and Ham.' 

"It was on your dresser," Martha explained. "Kara asked what it was, and I explained it to her; she said no one ever read her a story before, and she wanted you to read her first story to her." 

Clark felt honored. A lump welled up in his throat as he thought about all the things Kara never experienced before - things he had always taken for granted. He knelt in front of his cousin and met her eyes. "You know what?" he asked. "My dad used to read this to me when I was little; it's been a long time since he's read this to me. Would you mind if he read this to both of us?" 

Kara glanced up at Jonathan, and she could see he was trying not to cry as he smiled down at his son. She was confused by the farmer's reaction to Clark's question, but she could sense it was important for both of the men, something that made them both happy. She smiled down at her cousin and shook her head. "I don't mind." 

Clark smiled and got to his feet. He handed the book to his son; Jonathan met his eyes, and both father and son smiled, remembering similar memories. Clark reached down and scooped up his cousin like she was a delicate doll. He carried her to the couch and sat down, his cousin on his lap. Jonathan went over to one of the rocking chairs and sat down. Martha took the other rocking chair and leaned back, watching her husband as he took his reading glasses from his shirt pocket and put them on. He cleared his throat, opened the book, and started reading. 

"'Sam I am, I am Sam,'" Jonathan read. "'I am Sam, Sam I am." He paused and looked up. Kara was sitting on Clark's lap, listening intently, her head tilted. Jonathan smiled and continued. "'That Sam-I-am! That Sam-I-am! I do not like that Sam-I-am!'" 

Jonathan continued reading the book. He was about near the end when Martha gently nudged him; he looked at her, and she nodded at the couch. Jonathan glanced over and saw Clark laying on his back on the couch; Kara was asleep, laying on top of Clark, and Clark's arms were wrapped around his cousin, enveloping her in a protective cocoon. 

Jonathan smiled, then he looked down at the book and finished the book, his voice low and soothing. 'So I will eat them in a box. And I will eat them with a fox. And I will eat them in a house. And I will eat them with a mouse. And I will eat them here and there. Say, I will eat them anywhere. I do so like green eggs and ham. Thank you. Thank you, Sam-I-am.'" He closed the book and put it on the coffee table; he and Martha got to their feet. Martha retrieved the folded afghan from the bay window while Jonathan went over to the couch and carefully removed Clark's glasses. He put them on the end table, then he brushed Clark's hair away from his face and kissed his son's forehead; he did the same with Kara. 

Martha walked over, unfolded the afghan, and carefully covered the sleeping cousins, then she leaned over and kissed their foreheads. She helped Jonathan turn out the lights and lock the doors, then the two climbed the stairs to their room. (End of Chapter 29) 


	30. Chapter 30

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 30   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Clark yawned and stretched, feeling completely rested. His thoughts drifted back to watching Kara's reaction as his father read the story to them; she wasn't familiar with many things that were in the book, but her eyes were dancing with curiosity as she listened, then he watched her slowly drift off to sleep, snuggling up against his chest, putting her head on his shoulder. Clark then carefully lay down on his back and continued listening to his father. The last thing *he* remembered before falling asleep was hearing his father recite 'Green Eggs And Ham,' and the guy telling Sam-I-Am that he didn't want the food on a boat, with a goat, in the rain, on a train, in the dark, in a tree, in a car, in a box, with a fox, in a house, with a mouse, here or there, or anywhere. He smiled; as old as he was it still feel really good having his father read to him. 

Clark couldn't feel the weight of having someone on him, so he figured his parents had taken Kara upstairs (though he wondered how they would be able to carry her); he opened his eyes, and all traces of haze or grogginess completely vanished when he looked up. Kara was still asleep as she floated roughly three feet above him. Clark was a bit startled, but he knew from past experiences about what would happen if Kara woke up, and as invulnerable as he was, having the young girl land on him from a three feet fall would probably result in a little pain, especially since she would land right on a sensitive area. He glanced over as his father came in, whistling, rubbing his hands in a towel, looking down. 

"Good morn -" Jonathan stopped in mid sentence as he looked up and saw the sight in front of his eyes. He glanced down at his son questioningly. Clark made a shushing motion with his finger over his lips; he quickly blurred off the couch, careful not to disturb the sleeping girl, and joined his father; they watched Kara as they talked. 

"Good morning," Clark whispered. 

"Good morning," Jonathan replied. "Sleep well?" 

"Yep," Clark said. He glanced at his father. "Thanks for reading last night." 

Jonathan smiled at his son and put a hand on his shoulder. "You're welcome, son." He looked back at the sleeping girl. "I know you wanted to wait and tell her after she was more comfortable with her other powers, but what if she wakes up and finds herself floating?" Clark shrugged and opened his mouth to say something, but Martha came down the stairs, smiling cheerfully. 

"Good morning, everyone," she said. 

Kara stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She looked down, and noticed she was floating several feet off the ground. Her eyes widened, and she started shouting as she immediately fell. Clark blurred over and caught her right before she crashed into the couch; the tip of her nose was touching the couch cushion. Clark gently set Kara on the floor, and everyone could see her eyes were wide, her face pale, and she was gasping. 

"Are you okay?" Clark asked. 

"F-f-fine," she replied in a shaky voice. "W-w-was . . . I . . . floating?" 

"Yeah, you were," Clark said. He took a deep breath. "You see . . . ." He trailed off, trying to find the right words to say. "There are other powers you're going to be getting." 

"Other powers?" Kara asked. Clark added. "Such as?" 

Clark looked to his parents for help, but they knew this was something that needed to come from him. He glanced back at Kara. "Well, when you're older, you'll actually be able to . . . fly." 

"Fly?" Kara asked. 

"Yeah," Clark replied. "The floating is sort of a transitional phase." 

"Fly?" Kara asked again. "As in . . . fly?" 

Clark nodded, and he wasn't sure what Kara's reaction would be; he didn't have to wait long. 

Kara grinned. "Really?" she asked excitedly. 

Clark furrowed his eyebrows. Part of him was expecting her to be a little freaked out like he had been. "You're okay with that?" he asked slowly, wanting to make sure she wasn't putting on a front for him. 

"Yes, I've dreamt about flying when I was younger!" Kara replied. "Just being able to get away from my father and Argo City . . . and now to find out that I'll actually be able to defy gravity . . . ." She looked like she was going to burst with happiness. "When will I be able to fly?" 

"When you're older," Jonathan replied, trying not to smile. He shared a look with his wife and son. He could see they were glad that Kara was taking the news so well; it would make dealing with her emerging powers a bit easier to handle. "Son, you want to tell her about her other powers?" 

"There's more?" Kara asked, her eyes growing to the size of dinner plates. 

"Look, before you two start talking about other powers, we need to discuss something else," Martha spoke up gently. Everyone looked at her. 

"What is it?" Jonathan asked. 

"Kara needs to get some of her own clothes," Martha replied. "I could take her into town after breakfast." 

"I can do that," Clark said. "In fact, I was thinking about that last night, but I thought maybe we could go to Metropolis instead." 

"No," Jonathan said. "Out of the question." 

"Why?" Clark asked. 

"Because it's a big city," Jonathan replied. "Lots of things can happen. Lex Luthor for instance." 

"Dad, under any other circumstances, I'd agree with you, but Lex is here in Smallville. So is the Air Force. And it'd only be for a few hours." 

"He does have a point, Jonathan," Martha said. 

"I'll even pay for it myself," Clark replied jokingly. 

"Everything?" Martha asked. The prices of even the cheapest clothes in Metropolis were still expensive, and her son was offering to buy a teenage girl an entire wardrobe. "Can you afford that?" 

"Of course I can," Clark replied. "You guys are housing and feeding her. The least I can do is buy her clothes." He looked at Jonathan. "Dad?" 

Jonathan looked at his family. He wanted to say no so badly, only because he didn't want anyone finding out about Kara; she was family to him as much as Clark was, and she needed to know that there were people she could be safe around, that there was a place she would find peace and quiet; Metropolis was the last place that came to his mind. Still, he knew from experience with his son, that he couldn't keep Kara locked away from the world forever. He sighed. 

"I'm okay with it," he said. He nodded at Kara. "As long as she is okay with it." Everyone looked at her. 

"Kara, would that be okay with you?" Clark asked. 

Kara had a lot of questions, but she wasn't sure if she should asked them. She had been taught that she was supposed to know everything, that Kryptonians were intellectually superior to anything else, and she was a little frustrated that she didn't know anything, that she always had to have someone explain everyone to her. Clark saw her expression and he knelt beside her, smiling warmly. 

"You know, if you want," Clark whispered, "we can tell you everything about Metropolis that we know over breakfast, okay?" 

"Is it pancakes again?" Kara whispered back. 

Clark looked up, and his mother nodded, smiling. He gave Kara a big grin. "Yep, it's pancakes," he replied. Kara gave him a grin, and Clark let her climb on his back before heading to the kitchen; Jonathan and Martha shared a smile as they followed the two into the kitchen. 

(End of Chapter 30) 


	31. Chapter 31

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 31   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"So, what do you think?" Clark asked his younger cousin. He and Kara had arrived in Metropolis a few minutes ago, leaving the truck parked in the garage behind Clark's apartment so they could walk through the city, letting Kara experience everything. It was rather amusing seeing her amazement at the different people, buildings, sights, smells, sounds . . . . Clark smiled to himself as he watched her expression with every new discovery, and he knew he would never tire of it. 

Kara, her jaw on the pavement, her eyes as big as dinner plates, stared upward at the tall building in front of her. Large letters spelling out 'Parker's Apparel Source' were above the entrance, which was glittery and crystalline, reminded Kara of a lot of the structures of Argo City. She saw people dressed in designer clothes, posed in large windows on the first floor. Kara furrowed her eyebrows as she watched them; they were standing perfectly still, not even breathing. 

"Clark, those people aren't breathing," Kara said, pointing. 

Clark smiled. "They're called mannequins," he said. Kara tilted her head. "They're like statues." 

"Oh," Kara nodded. 

"You ready to go in?" he asked. Kara looked a little unsure, so Clark took her hand and smiled warmly; she returned the smile, and the two walked into the store. They stopped and looked around; neither of them had ever seen so many women's clothes in one place before. They felt a little out of place among the fashionable designs, both of them dressed in t-shirts, jeans, and tennis shoes. A woman in her thirties, dressed in a crisp black dress and matching heels came up to them; her hair was up in a bun, and she wore only a hint of makeup. She smiled pleasantly at them. 

"May I help you?" she asked. 

Clark saw her name tag read 'Peggy.' He smiled and nodded. "Yes, my cousin is in need of a new wardrobe. I want her to have the best." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He removed his credit card and held it up. "Money is not a problem." 

Peggy took the credit card and read it. She smiled up at Clark when she saw it was far from expiring. "Certainly, Mr. Kent," she said. She turned and snapped her fingers. Four clerks, dressed similarly to Peggy, hurried over. "This gentleman wants our help in composing a new wardrobe for this young woman." She indicated Kara; the young girl felt a little self conscious as the women looked at her. Peggy looked at Clark. "Will this wardrobe include other things?" 

"Other things?" Clark asked. "You mean sock and shoes?" 

"No, I mean undergarments," Peggy replied. 

Clark paled as his eyes widened. "Uh . . . ." 

"I'll take that as a yes," Peggy replied, trying not to smile. She turned to one of the clerks. "Mary, take the young woman to our lingerie department." The one named Mary nodded and gently guided Kara away. 

"And nothing in silk or lace," Clark called out. "Straight cotton." 

Peggy turned to the remaining three women. "Ginger, you're in charge of Daywear; Alice, you take Footwear; Nancy, you will be in charge of Makeup and Accessories." The women left, going their separate ways. Peggy turned back to Clark. "Don't worry, Mr. Kent, your cousin is in good hands. If you'll just take a seat here" she indicated a nearby chair "we'll get started." 

Clark felt a little dazed as he took the offered chair. He knew he wouldn't be doing much more than offering his opinions (one of the main reasons he chose that particular store to go clothes shopping; he knew *nothing* about what girls wore), but he could tell already it was going to be a long day. 

- - - - 

Kara giggled as she twirled and modeled her latest outfit: a light blue polo shirt, a bright red skirt over nude pantyhose, bright red running shoes, and a red sweatshirt draped over her back, sleeves tied over her sternum. Clark watched from his chair, and he couldn't help but laugh as he watched her having a good time. 

"You like?" he asked. 

"I like," she replied. She half skipped, half bounced over to him as he got to his feet. She hugged him fiercely, wrapping her arms around his waist, resting her head against his chest. "Thank you." 

Clark put his arms around her and held her close. "Don't mention it," he said. He glanced up and saw all the saleswomen were watching with tears in their eyes. He would have continued holding her, but a small chirping sound interrupted him. He sighed and reached into one of his pockets, pulling out his cellphone. He glanced at Kara. "I need to take this, okay?" Kara nodded. Clark looked up at Peggy. "Could you get everything ready for us, please?" Peggy nodded. Clark left the building through the front entrance to take his call outside while Peggy and the others started gathering up the clothes and accessories. 

Kara headed for the dressing room and grabbed her other clothes. As much as she loved the jeans and t-shirts - they were comfortable and smelled of Martha, something she was growing rather fond of - she wanted to wear something new . . . something that was hers and no one else's. She came out and walked back over to Peggy. The other clerks were folding the other clothes and putting them in decorative shopping bags. 

"Would it be okay if I wear this outfit instead of the jeans?" she asked meekly. 

Peggy smiled. "Of course, dear. Just let me remove the tags." She took a pair of scissors from the counter and snipped the tags off, then she grabbed another odd-shaped device that Kara had never seen before, and removed the large security buttons on the shirt and skirt. She patted Kara's cheek, then took the clothes in Kara's arms then put them in the last (seventh) bag, then she rang up the charges. Clark came back and noticed Kara still in her new clothes. 

"Is it okay if I wear this?" Kara asked. 

Clark smiled and said, "It's yours." He leaned over. "Personally, I think you look great." 

"Really?" Kara whispered. 

"Really." He kissed the tip of her nose, then he paid Peggy. He grabbed two of the bags and handed them to Kara; he grabbed the remaining bags, and the two headed out of the store. They merged into the bustle and headed down the sidewalk. 

(End of Chapter 31) 


	32. Chapter 32

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 32   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"So, what do you want to do now?" Clark asked. 

"I thought we were just getting clothes," Kara said. 

"Well, Dad just called to check on us," Clark explained, "and I persuaded him to let me keep you entertained for the rest of the afternoon." He held his arm out and up in an offering manner. "The city is ours for the day, m'lady. What do you wish to do?" 

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Kara said. "No one's forcing you to." 

Clark stopped and looked at his cousin. "Kara, I want to, okay? You and I need to spend some time together, just us." 

Kara pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then she smiled sheepishly up at her cousin. "I'm hungry." 

Clark grinned. "I know exactly what you'd like." He beckoned her to follow him down the sidewalk. Kara raised an eyebrow, but she hurried after her cousin. 

"Where are we going?" she asked. She was considerably shorter than he was (sixteen inches shorter, by her calculations), and it wasn't tiring trying to keep pace with him down the sidewalk, but it did require some effort, especially when combined with the skillful act of trying to dodge other pedestrians at the same time. A few minutes later they stopped in front of a hot dog vendor. 

"Two dogs, please," Clark said to the vendor as he put his bags down. 

Kara watched with curiosity as the vendor took a pair of tongs and reached into his machine and pulled out a foot-long frank. He cradled it in a hot dog bun, then handed it to Clark. Clark, in turn, handed it to Kara after she put her bags down. She eyed it like a person would eye a three-headed bear. 

"You actually eat this?" she asked. 

"Whattsa madder, kid?" the vendor asked. "Never seen a hot dog before?" 

"Well, as a matter of fact," Kara said as she stared at the bun and frank, "I haven't." 

"Where you from?" the vendor asked. "Jupiter?" 

Kara laughed. "Good one, sir." She shook her head and continued to giggle. Clark shook his head as the vendor handed over another bun and frank. He quickly paid the vendor, then piled on his favorite toppings: mustard, relish, and lots of ketchup. Kara peered at the condiment rack, then back at Clark. He was already chowing on his hot dog, his mouth stuffed. Kara gave him a reluctant expression, and she tentatively sniffed each condiment. She liked the ketchup, though its appearance reminded her of blood, the relish tickled her nose, but she cringed at the mustard's smell. "Yuck, that smells like the waste products of the Pleasians!" 

Clark nearly choked on his hot dog, and he had to swallow and cough. The vendor gave Kara an odd look, but Clark tossed the rest of his dog in a nearby trashcan and grabbed his bags. "Come on, sweetie," he said, "I think it's time we go." 

"Okay," she said. "Just let me put some of that red stuff on my dog." She grabbed the ketchup bottle a little too hard and accidentally squeezed a large amount of ketchup on her cousin's shirt. She cringed. "Oops. Sorry." 

Clark looked down at his shirt, then slowly glanced up at his cousin. The vendor had forgotten about what Kara said, and he cracked up. Kara looked hurt, like she was about ready to cry. Clark gave her a reassuring smile. "Sweetie, it's okay," he said. He grabbed some napkins, then beckoned Kara to grab her bags so they could leave. Kara sighed, tossed her dog into the trashcan, and then grabbed her bags. The two left, leaving the vendor laughing behind his machine. The two walked down the street, not saying a word. They stopped half a block later; Clark put down his bags and started wiping his shirt with the napkins. 

"I'm sorry," Kara whispered. 

Clark stopped and looked up. "Kara, it's okay. It's just ketchup; it'll come out." He paused. "At least, I think it will." Kara looked worried. Clark put a little ketchup on his index finger, then dabbed it on the end of her nose, smiling. Kara looked down cross-eyed at the blob of red on her nose; Clark laughed, then reached over and wiped it off. Then he went back to wiping his shirt. "Now, in the future, I think -" He stopped in mid sentence when he looked up; Kara was gone. 

(End of Chapter 32) 


	33. Chapter 33

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 33   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

His heart started to race as he frantically looked around. There were a lot of people around, but his height gave him an advantage. He searched over people's head and spotted Kara a ways down, calmly standing and looking in a large window, her hands clasped behind her; her shopping bags sat at her feet in front of her. Clark grabbed his bags and pushed his way through the crowd until he reached her side. He looked in the window at what she was staring at, and saw all the toys in the window - the stuffed animals, the dolls, and toy train running on a small track; he glanced at his cousin and saw she was completely entranced. He sighed. 

"Kara," he said gently. 

"What are those?" she asked, her voice a bare whisper. 

"They're called toys," Clark replied gently. 

"Toys," she said slowly. She looked confused. "What is a toy?" 

"First, we need to have a talk," Clark said, "then I'll be happy to tell you what a toy is." 

Kara shrank slightly. "Did I do something wrong?" 

Clark cradled her face in his hands. He made sure his voice was gentle and not condescending. "Kara, it was wrong, but I'm not mad at you. It was partially my fault; I should have explained the rules." 

"What rules?" Kara asked. 

"Well, first of all, you can't just wander off like that, okay? It's dangerous." 

"How so?" 

"What if you had gotten lost or hit by a car? I wouldn't know you were in danger if I didn't know where you were, right?" 

"I guess." 

"Secondly, there are a lot of people out there that you don't need to be around; they're bad people, and they could hurt you." 

"What kind of people?" 

Clark paused, not sure how to explain to Kara about muggers, murderers, thieves, and the likes. He sighed as he got to his feet. "I'll tell you later. For now, just don't wander off, okay?" Clark and Kara grabbed their bags and headed back down the street. 

"Now," Clark said, "a toy is something you play with." 

"Play?" Kara asked. "What is play?" 

"I always get the tough questions," Clark muttered. He cleared his throat, glad she wasn't asking any questions about . . . well, about *that.* He cringed and immediately decided that if she had any of *those* questions, he would point her in the direction of his parents. He shoved that mental image out of his mind. "Well, play is something fun, something you do. It's kind of hard to explain, but - " He stopped when he glanced down and saw Kara was, once again, no longer by his side. 

Clark looked around, standing on his toes to get a better look. He didn't see her anywhere on the street, so he switched his vision to X-ray. He saw numerous 'skeletons' walking around but not the one he wanted. He looked into the buildings across the street and finally spotted Kara's form inside one building. He shifted his vision to normal, then he looked up to see what kind of store she was in. He shook his head and rolled his eyes when he saw the name 'Metropolis Novelties' in bold red letters across the entrance. Clutching his bags, he hurried across the street and into the store. He saw Kara inside the store; she was leaning over and peering at a plastic Superman toy. He was upset that she ran off, especially after he told her not too. He sighed and walked over. 

"Having fun?" he asked. 

Kara was startled by his appearance, but she didn't recognize the sarcasm in his voice. She smiled at him briefly, then went back to looking at the toy. 

"Look, it's you," she said very quietly. "Only shorter . . ." She squinted. "And more muscular . . . and with better hair . . . ." 

Another customer looked over at Kara's remark, eyeing Clark oddly. Clark looked perturbed, but he was standing there with a stained shirt, glasses, and messy hair; he gave the customer a pained smile and then looked down at his cousin, trying to keep a rein on his temper. "I look nothing like him. I'm much more dashing, and I *definitely* have a better sense of fashion." 

Kara looked up, confused, and said, "But you wear -" She was silenced when Clark clapped a hand over her mouth. She gave a muffled protest as he dragged her out of the store, hand still over her mouth, smiling sweetly at the customer. Outside, in the bustle of the city, he finally dropped his hand from her mouth, but he kept walking. Kara shrank a little in on herself as she was pulled gently behind her cousin, but she didn't say anything as she and Clark walked at a quick pace down the sidewalk. It seemed like an eternity before they stopped a few buildings away. Clark turned and looked down at her; even though she looked up tearfully at him with her big blue eyes, he was still upset, and he wanted to make sure she knew it. 

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, hanging her head. "I almost told." 

Clark sighed, quietly his jaw working. He was angry, but he knew he had to choose his words carefully. He didn't want to scare her or have her think he was going to hurt her for messing up; he had a feeling it was going to take a long time for her to realize that just because she messed up, it didn't mean she was going to get beaten. He put the shopping bags on the ground and put his hands on the young girl's shoulders. 

"Kara, look at me," he said, his voice calm but firm. The young girl looked up; she was on the verge of crying, and Clark could feel her tense up - like she was waiting for him to strike her. Clark knew his height was probably making him very intimidating to her, so he got on his knees and looked up at her. "Kara, I'm not going to hurt you." 

"Why not?" she asked. "I did something wrong." 

"Yes, you did," he replied. "But nothing that would justify hitting you." Kara looked at him as if he were speaking a language she couldn't understand; Clark knew in a way, she didn't understand what he was saying: she had grown up in a world dominated by fear and brutality. He realized there that it was going to be his responsibility - as well as his parents' - to teach her that there was a world out there where punishments didn't come with fists, that there was a difference between respect and fear. 

"Kara," Clark continued, "you disobeyed me by walking off - after I told you not to." 

"But there are so many things here I've never seen before," Kara said softly. "I just want to see what they are." 

"I know," Clark replied, "and I want you to see as much of it as you can, but you can't just walk off the way you did. You could get lost or hurt or . . . or who only knows what." 

"By the bad people?" Kara asked. 

"Yes, by the bad people," Clark answered. He took in a deep breath. "And there's something else we need to discuss." Kara cringed a little. "Remember what we talked about in Smallville? About how only some people know about my secret?" 

Kara nodded glumly and said, "And I almost told." A tear fell down her cheek. "I'm sorry, Clark." 

"I know," Clark said as he reached up and brushed the tear away with his thumb. "I just need you to know why I'm upset, okay?" He took a deep breath, trying to word what he wanted to say properly, without sounding condescending. "Now, you need to understand a few things before we do anything else. There are people and dangers out there that you don't understand. I do, and so do Mom and Dad; that's why you need to listen to us when we tell you to do something. We just want to keep you safe. Do you understand that?" 

Kara nodded slowly, but Clark could tell by her expression that she was still feeling really upset about what she did, more so than she should. He wasn't sorry for worrying about her or telling her what was what when it came to her safety, but he hated seeing her all timid and sorry. He sighed and looked around; a slow grin spread on his face. He got to his feet, grabbing all seven of the shopping bags in one hand. 

"Come on," he said, "I know just what to do with you." 

(End of Chapter 33) 


	34. Chapter 34

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 34   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara felt her stomach turn cold; she thought she was going to receive some sort of punishment. She saw he was smiling, and she didn't know why, but she went with him just the same. He reached for her hand, and she let him take it and lead her across the street. The two headed into a colorfully decorated store with the name 'Past 'N' Present Candy Counter and Soda Shoppe' in large pastel letters over the door and large picture window. Kara tilted her head up when she heard the small bell jingle over her head. She lowered her gaze and looked around; she gasped at the wonders around her. 

Red and white tiles covered the floor in a checkerboard fashion. The walls were painted in simple faded pink. A few white café tables and chairs sat near the front, in front of the window and against one of the walls. Glass jars lined the rest of the walls from floor to ceiling, each one filled with all kinds of candies - over two-hundred varieties of chocolates, gummies, bubble gum, licorice, and saltwater taffy by Clark's estimation. 

"What can I getcha?" someone asked. 

Clark and Kara looked over at the wrap-around Formica counter situated near the tables and chairs; it spanned three quarters the length of the store. Behind the counter sat an old-fashioned soda fountain, glasses, ice cream storage bins, glass ice cream dishes, small containers full of sundae toppings, and bunches of different varieties of giant lollipops. A soda jerk, complete with the pointy hat and red bowtie, leaned against the countertop. He had a friendly face, and Clark could see he was in his fifties. Clark smiled back, while Kara ducked her head, smiling shyly. 

"Can we just look around for a bit?" Clark asked. 

"Sure," the soda jerk replied. "If you need anything, just holler." Clark led Kara over to the glass jars along the wall. Kara examined the contents and names of each jar, and tilted her head, reading each name out loud. 

"Gummi Bears?" she said slowly. "Sour Worms? Jawbreakers? Swizzle sticks? Jelly Bellies? Chocolate?" She gave her cousin a confused expression. "What are these things?" 

"They're candy," Clark explained. 

"Candy?" Kara asked slowly. 

"They're very good," Clark added. He leaned over. "You know, when I was your age, I really liked the chocolates." 

"What is chocolate?" Kara asked. Clark tapped one of the jars. Kara examined the contents, and she saw the dark lumps. She wrinkled her face. "They look like -" 

"Would you like to try one?" Clark interrupted gently. The last thing he wanted to hear was what chocolate looked like to Kara; it was bad enough that he wouldn't be going near mustard anytime soon after Kara's last comment. Kara shrugged. Clark turned to the soda jerk. "How much is a single piece?" 

"Twenty-five cents," the soda jerk answered. 

Clark reached into his pocket, pulled out a quarter, and tossed it to the soda jerk; the soda jerk caught it and put it in the cash register. Clark turned, took the top off the glass jar, and pulled out a small piece of chocolate; he handed it to Kara. She examined it, then looked up at her cousin for help. 

"You eat it," Clark said simply. 

Kara glanced at the piece of chocolate, then she slowly put it in her mouth. The chocolate melted in her mouth, and she could immediately taste the sweetness; it was as if she was in pure heaven. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head as a smile slowly spread across her face. She quickly swallowed. "Wow,' she whispered. "That was . . . I've never tasted anything like that before. Can I have some more?" 

Clark stopped short. He wasn't sure it would be a good idea to let her sample the other treats and get her loaded up on sugar. She was already . . . energetic enough, and Clark had a feeling his parents wouldn't appreciate him bringing back a hyperactive super-powered teenage girl. Still, he couldn't bear not getting her anything at all. 

"How about I choose a few things I think you'll like, okay?" Clark asked. 

"Like what?" Kara asked. 

It took a few minutes, but Clark finally chose one pound of five different candies: Reese's pieces, fudge, lemon drops, mini 3 Musketeers bars, and chocolate covered strawberries; he put each candy in its own decorative container. Clark and Kara walked up to the counter, where the soda jerk was watching them curiously as Clark placed the five bags on the counter. 

"Got everything you need?" the soda jerk asked. 

"I think so," Clark smiled. 

The soda jerk chuckled and rang up the candy. "That'll be Twelve thirty-eight," he replied. Clark paid the man, who took the cash and gave Clark his change. "Have a good day, sir." He glanced at Kara, who was staring at the containers, her eyes wide; he smiled. "What's wrong, sweetie? You're acting like you've never seen candy before." 

Kara looked up and replied honestly, "I never have, sir." 

The soda jerk looked at her oddly then at Clark to see if she was joking. Clark shrugged; it was pointless to lie. He thought of something that would sound somewhat believable, and decided on the truth. "Her father wouldn't let her have candy." He smiled down at his cousin. "But she can now." 

Kara smiled up at Clark, then she looked up and noticed the lollipops. "What are those?" she asked, pointing. 

"They're called lollipops," the soda jerk replied. He paused, then he slowly smiled. He reached for the largest lollipop - rainbow swirled - and reached over the counter, handing it to her. "I think you would enjoy this one; it tastes the best." 

Kara grinned, surprised, as she examined the giant lollipop in her hands. "Thank you sir," she replied, beaming up at him. Clark smiled and reached into his pocket to get some money to pay, but the soda jerk stopped him. 

"It's on the house," he simply said. 

"Are you sure?" Clark asked. 

The soda jerk nodded. "First lollipop's on me; house rules." He winked at Clark. 

Clark smiled and nodded his thanks before putting the containers of candy into the shopping bags. He picked them up in one hand and held his other out to his cousin. "Ready to go?" Kara nodded and took Clark's hand, clutching her lollipop in her other hand. The soda jerk smiled as he watched the two leave his store and disappear into the bustle of the city. 

(End of Chapter 34) 


	35. Chapter 35

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 35   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"So, how do I eat this thing?" Kara asked as the two walked down the sidewalk; she still held Clark's hand and looked at the lollipop she held. 

"How about we save it until after we get back to Smallville?" Clark suggested. He could hear his parents lecturing him if they learned that he let Kara have sweets and not any real food. He held out one of the bags, and Kara put her lollipop in it. 

"So, now what?" Kara asked. Clark looked up and saw they were approaching a camera store, and he stopped and groaned. "What's wrong?" 

"I nearly forgot Jimmy's birthday present," Clark replied. 

"Jimmy?" Kara asked. "Birthday present?" 

"Jimmy's a friend of mine from where I work," Clark explained. "And his birthday is coming up, so I'm going to get him a present." 

"What's a birthday?" Kara asked. 

"Well, a birthday is a celebration of the day a person was born," Clark explained. 

Kara pursed her lips as she processed that information. "When is Jimmy's birthday?" Kara asked. 

"It's on August 18," Clark replied. 

Kara looked confused. "And your birthday?" 

"May 28," Clark replied. 

"And those are specific periods?" Kara asked. 

Clark nodded. "They're certain days of the year; I'll show you when we get back to the farm." 

Kara nodded. "Okay," she said. She paused. "Do your parents have birthdays?" 

"Yep, they do," Clark answered. "Everyone has a birthday." 

Kara looked down at her feet and said softly, "I don't have a birthday." 

Clark got on his knees. "Why do you say that?" 

"Because I wasn't born," Kara replied. "I was just removed from my matrix." 

Clark tilted Kara's chin up with one finger. "Kara, look at me." Kara looked at her cousin, meeting his eyes with hers. "You know, I didn't have a birthday either when Mom and Dad first found me." 

"But you do now," Kara said. 

"Yes, because they chose one for me," Clark replied. "They wanted everyone to think I had a birthday, just as if I had been born on Earth." He smiled. "And we can do the same for you when we get back." 

"Really?" Kara asked. 

Clark nodded. "We'll get a calendar, and you can pick what day you want your birthday to be on." 

"And I'll get a present too?" Kara asked. 

Clark chuckled. "Yes," he replied. "And even cake and ice cream too." 

Kara tilted her head. "Cake? Ice cream?" 

Clark smiled. "We'll talk about that later." He got to his feet. "Now, I have to get Jimmy's present before I forget. You want to help me pick it out?" 

"I don't know what would be appropriate for him," Kara said. 

"But I know what he likes," Clark replied. 

"You get things people like for presents?" Kara asked. 

Clark nodded and looked at the camera store. Kara read the sign. "What is a camera store?" 

"Well, remember how the candy store sold candy?" Clark asked. Kara nodded. "Well, a camera store sells cameras." 

"Are they good to eat?" 

Clark laughed. "You don't eat cameras, sweetie. You take pictures with cameras." Kara still looked confused. Clark smiled and took Kara's hand. "Come on, I'll show you." He grabbed the shopping bags and headed inside the camera store with his cousin. 

Kara's jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she stared at the shelves of cameras and camera accessories. A few people were looking around, and a clerk was helping a customer at the counter. She looked up at her cousin. 

"So, Jimmy likes cameras?" she asked. 

Clark nodded as they walked over to a shelf full of accessories. "He's a photographer for the paper," he said. "He's really good too." 

"And he's your friend?" Kara asked. Clark nodded. "Clark, do you think he could be my friend too?" 

Clark smiled. "Well, first you have to meet him, and that will be on his birthday, which is in about three weeks." 

"How am I going to meet him?" Kara asked. 

"Well, he and some of my other friends are going to be coming out to the farm for Jimmy's birthday," Clark explained. "We're going to have a small celebration." He was glad he remembered that; with Kara's arrival, he might have to call everyone and get the party moved somewhere else, depending on how well Kara adjusted by that time. He made a mental note to talk to his parents later on about that. At the moment, he had some shopping to do. 

"Okay," he said to his cousin, "I want you to stay here while I do some shopping. No wandering off, okay?" 

"Okay," Kara replied. She stayed near the door while Clark went to one area of the store; he looked at some camera accessories. Kara watched him for a few moments, then she glanced around the store; she observed other people looking at things on the numerous shelves, then take them to the clerk and pay for them. The young girl knew she didn't have any of that green stuff they exchanged for the things they wanted, but she noticed some people just looking at the different things and then walking out, so she figured just looking would be safe - as long as she didn't move. 

She pivoted on her feet and faced the shelf behind her; she saw a bunch of unusual objects, each with its own label. She read each label. "Nikon - EH-4 AC Power Adapter for Nikon D1 Digital Camera? Macro 3X Close-up Lens with UW Filter?" She cocked her head; even though she knew it was English, it was like she was reading Carraxamitian; she always had problems with that language. 

There was suddenly a bright flash, causing the young girl to jump and shout out. She turned quickly, gasping, and saw a man holding an object with a rectangular crystalline object attached to it. She stared wide-eyed at the man as she started shaking. 

"Hey," the man said, "it's okay; it was just a flash." 

Kara just stared, opened mouth, as her eyes welled up with tears. She turned her head as Clark hurried over. She practically threw herself at her cousin, holding him tightly. 

"Hey, it's okay," Clark said, speaking softly as he dropped the bags and hold her gently. He looked up at the man, feeling unnaturally angered. "What happened?" 

"All I did was test the flash," the man protested. "Jeeze, what's your problem, buddy?" 

"She's a little skittish, okay?" Clark replied, trying hard to keep his anger in check. 

"Well, if she's that skittish," the man said, "then you should keep her on a leash or something." 

"Hey!" the clerk said. He came out from around the counter and walked over. "What's going on?" 

"I was just testing the flash," the man said, "then Little Miss Muffet here starts freakin' out, and four eyes here looks like he's gonna go Terminator on me for scarin' his girlfriend." 

"Well, that's your own fault, pal," the clerk said. He pointed to a large sign on the wall behind the counter. It read 'Do Not Use Flashes Without Permission.' He frowned at the man as he held out his hand. The man handed over the camera. "Thank you. Now, please leave my store." The man grumbled something, shooting an evil glare at Kara and Clark before storming out. 

"I'm sorry," Kara whispered. "I messed up, didn't I?" 

"No, you didn't mess up," Clark said. "You did nothing wrong; he was the one who broke the rules, not you." 

"But why did he get so mad at us?" Kara asked. 

"Because some people are like that," Clark answered. He noticed she still looked visibly upset. "Do you want to go, sweetie?" 

"Did you get Jimmy's gift?" Kara asked. 

"I can get it later," Clark replied. 

"No," Kara shook her head. "He's your friend; you get his gift now." 

Clark smiled down at her. "You want to stick close by this time?" 

"Can I wait outside instead?" Kara asked. "I like watching the people." 

Clark looked hesitant, but Kara stared up at him, her blue eyes pleading. He nodded. "Sure, but I want you to stay in front of the store, okay? No wandering off. Just stay put." Kara nodded, smiling, and headed for the entrance. The clerk and Clark smiled. 

"Sorry about that," Clark said. 

"Eh, not your fault," the clerk replied. "So, anything I can help you with?" 

Clark nodded. "I'm getting a gift for a friend; he's a photographer. The strap on his camera bag is worn through and hanging together by a thread, so I'm thinking about getting him a new bag." 

"I think I have just what you're looking for," the clerk said. He led Clark to the back of the store. 

(End of Chapter 35) 


	36. Chapter 36

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 36   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Kara stood right outside the camera store. She waited for Clark to come out and join her as she watched the people pass by. She was still mesmerized by the diversity in the people - their different clothes, their different skin color . . . everything about each of them was different. She so badly wanted to go and talk with all of them, discovering who they were, where they were going, and other things she knew that only they could answer, but she remembered what Clark had told her. She had already upset him twice, and it baffled her that he was still so loving towards her after what she did; if it had been her father, then she would have found herself at the end of his cane. The young girl shut her eyes and hugged herself, shuddering slightly. 

She heard a sharp squeal, and she recognized the sounds as being tires; Clark had explained what tires - and cars - were on their way to Metropolis. She heard horns honking loudly, people chattering about all kinds of different things, and the clacking of all the different kinds of shoes hitting the pavement. Everything was so much louder than she was accustomed to, but for some reason she found it very . . . pleasant. 

Kara let the sounds wash over her, and then she remembered a game she used to play by herself when she was living in Argo City; she would try to identify the source of each sound she heard. It only took her three times before she beat it, but it was something that she would come back to as a distraction - whether is was to escape the pain from her father's beating or to clear her mind from a long day of studying Kryptonian law. As she listened with her eyes still closed, Kara was glad that she would have something that could keep her occupied when she was bored; Earth had so many different sounds that would prove an interesting challenge for her ears. 

Calomp, calomp. 

Even amidst the numerous sounds from the people, the vehicles, and other things, Kara's ears were able to single out the unusual sound. She tilted her head, but she kept her eyes closed. She smiled as she listened; she loved a good challenge. 

Calomp, calomp. 

Kara could hear the sounds getting closer with each 'calomp.' Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and she desperately wanted to know what the sound was, but she fought the urge to open her eyes and look for the source of the sound. 

Suddenly, she felt something grab her from behind, pinning her arms to her side. She was confused; she didn't know what was going on. She felt someone breathing in her ear. 

"Now," she heard a voice snarl in her ear, "we'll see just how vocal you are without your grunt around to protect you." 

Kara felt a chill run down her spine. Even without turning to look, she recognized the voice as coming from the man who had gotten mad at her in the camera store, and she was scared; she wanted to scream for her cousin, but years of learning that shouting only led to more pain, the young woman kept silent. That was the only logical thought she allowed her mind to have as her body went into fight or flight mode. The young girl threw her arms out and back, then she turned and watched - in slow motion, her eyes wide in horror - as the man went flying through the air; he crashed through the camera store window, shattering the glass. 

- - - - 

Clark was looking at a bag the clerk recommended to him when he heard the sound of glass shattering behind him. He turned around and saw the guy who had threatened Kara crashing through the camera store window. Clark watched as broken glass, equipment, and the guy went flying in slow motion. The guy hit the ground, and everyone in the store turned. Clark looked through the broken window and saw Kara standing outside, staring horrified at the guy as he lay on the floor, groaning, cuts on his face and hands. 

As people headed over to check on the guy, Clark started for the front door to get to his cousin. Kara looked over, and her eyes met Clark's; tears welled up in her eyes, and she looked ashamed. A split second later, she sped off at full speed in a red and blue blur as Clark exited the building. He looked in the direction she ran off in and just stared for a few moments. He glanced back at the store and the crowd forming before he hurried off (at normal speed) to find his cousin. 

It took him a few minutes (and the use of his X-ray vision), but he finally located her in an alley over seventy blocks away. It was a bricked dead end between two buildings, lined with garbage on both sides. Kara was sitting on the ground, her knees pulled up close to her. Her head was lowered, her forehead resting against her knees, and she was crying as her body shook. She didn't even hear Clark as he slowly approached her and knelt in front of her. He put a hand on her knee, and she jumped, startled. She looked up and saw her cousin looking at her. 

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. 

Kara shook her head as she lowered her head again. "Go ahead," she whispered. "Hit me; I deserve it. I'm a bad girl." 

Clark felt his heart ache as he leaned over and tilted Kara's chin up with his finger. Her eyes were red from crying, and her cheeks were streaked with tears; using his thumbs, he gently brushed them away. He sat beside her and put his arms around her, gently pulling him to her. 

"You're not a bad girl," he replied. 

"But I hurt that man," she said. 

"What happened?" he asked. 

"He grabbed me from behind," Kara said, through her small gasps and sniffles. "He said he wanted to see how vocal I was without my grunt around to protect me." She looked up, her eyes big and full of confusion. "I didn't mean to. Honest. I didn't even know what he meant, but he seemed like he wanted to hurt me." She started crying fresh tears again. 

Clark let her cry into his shoulder as he stroked her hair with one of his hands. He wasn't mad at her for what he did, nor was he worried about the attacker's physical condition; he was worried more about Kara's mental constitution about what she did, if anyone saw her . . . and what his father was going to say and do when he found out about what happened. He didn't know how everything was going to pan out, but the one thing he knew was that they couldn't stay in Metropolis any longer; they had to get back to Smallville. 

"Kara," he said softly. He looked down at her as she looked up at him. "Everything's going to be just fine, but we need to go." 

"Go where?" 

"Home," Clark replied. He carefully stood up, then gently pulled Kara to her feet. He put an arm around her shoulders. "Come on." Kara looked unsure, but she walked out of the alley with her cousin. 

- - - - 

Perry White hung up his phone and shook his head as he got to his feet. He couldn't believe how stupid people could be. He sighed as he opened his office door and walked into the newsroom. "Olsen!" he shouted. 

Jimmy Olsen, a young, teenage boy with brown hair, jumped up from his desk a few feet away. He was about five foot six, dressed in a dark t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He looked at his boss, his brown eyes eager. "Yes, Chief?" he asked. 

"I need you to get down to Shutterbug Haven on Melbourne," Perry said. 

"You got it, Chief," Jimmy said as he grabbed his camera off his desk. 

"And take Sullivan with you," Perry added. 

"You got it, Chief," Jimmy replied. 

"And don't call me Chief," Perry added. 

"Okay, Chief," Jimmy said. Perry sighed and rolled his eyes and headed back into his office. 

"What's going on?" Chloe asked as she walked over from her desk. She was dressed in a pair of denim capri's with a t-shirt and a denim jacket and loafers. 

Perry stopped and turned around as she approached. "Some guy got thrown through a camera store window." 

"And you're sending me to cover that?" Chloe asked. She saw her cousin, Lois Lane, smirking as she tried to appear busy at her terminal; she was wearing a dark blouse, heels, and a miniskirt so incredibly short that Chloe hated. She loved her cousin, but she wondered how in the world she was able to get away with that at work; they were supposed to be professional. 

"And to have Olsen get some photos," Perry added. Chloe opened her mouth to protest, but Perry held up his hand. "Chloe, I just got off the phone with someone who said they saw the guy sneak up behind someone dressed in red and blue before he was thrown through the window." 

"So?" Chloe asked. 

"Superstrong, dressed in red and blue," Perry said. "Remind you of anyone we know?" 

Chloe's eyes widened. "Are you saying that someone snuck up behind Superman, and he threw him into a window?" 

"That's what the eyewitnesses are saying," Perry replied. 

Lois jumped up from her desk and hurried over. "I'll go, Chief!" she replied. Everyone stared at her. "What?" 

"Gee, I wonder why," Chloe smirked. Lois scowled, then she smiled sweetly at Perry. 

"Fine," Perry replied. "Just find out what happened." 

"Thanks, Chief," Lois replied. She glanced at Jimmy and sighed a bit. "Come on, kiddo, let's go." She hurried off for the elevators; Jimmy quickly followed. 

"You think she's ever going to get over her infatuation with Superman?" Perry asked. 

"Not in this lifetime," Chloe answered. She headed back to her desk, trying not to laugh. She was lucky most people found Lois' infatuation with Superman humorous, but it was especially funny to Chloe; she was the only person at the Daily Planet to know that the hero everyone in the world admired was her childhood friend - and now her coworker. She sighed as she sat down and reached for her phone. She didn't know if Clark's 'family business' excuse was legitimate or not, but with what Perry just told her, she knew there was only one way to find out what exactly was going on. 

(End of Chapter 36) 


	37. Chapter 37

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 37   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

The blue truck quietly passed the colorful Smallville 'Meteor Capitol of the World' sign. Clark watched the sign pass from the windshield, then he glanced over at Kara. After they left the alley in Metropolis, Clark dropped Kara off at his apartment and told her to stay put while be went back to the camera store to retrieve the shopping bags from the store; everyone had been so occupied with the incident that Clark had managed to slip in at superspeed and slip out without anyone noticing anything. On his way out, he had overheard some of the eye witnesses talking about how stupid the guy was for sneaking up behind Superman. 

Clark had cringed inwardly as he headed back to his apartment. He was relieved that no one had seen Kara's face, but she had been mistaken for Superman, which meant he - er, Superman - was going to have to explain that one later on - namely to the police and his parents. Back at his apartment, Clark gave Kara another set of clothes to change into - a gray t-shirt, comfortable jeans, and white sneakers. After she was changed, they headed to the parking garage and left Metropolis, heading back towards Smallville. 

Kara stared numbly out the passenger window at the cornfields. She knew Clark wasn't mad at her, but she was still upset about what she did to the man - throwing him through the camera store window the way she did. Clark told her that she did nothing wrong, that it wasn't her fault that the guy got mad at her. She wanted to believe that, but she couldn't bring herself to; her father had engrained into her so deeply that the reason everyone was always mad at her because of something she did - that it was always her fault. 

The entire trip from Metropolis had been quiet. Clark sighed; he wanted to talk with her, but he didn't know what else to say to her to make her feel better. His blood boiled, and he wished that Zor-El was there so he could yell at him for what he did to Kara . . . maybe even hurt him, but he knew that wouldn't magically make everything better. He looked back down the road, focusing on his driving. 

They were in the about half a mile away from the Kent farm when a couple of brown Air Force flat fender jeeps pulled out behind the truck. Clark tensed as one sped in front of the truck and stopped in the middle of the road. Clark stopped, and the jeep behind them stopped; they had blocked the truck in right in front of the drive leading to the farm. Kara looked at her cousin, scared. He reached out and took her hand. 

"Don't worry," Clark said. "Just stay calm; I'll take care of this." The two watched as the soldiers got out of the jeeps and approached both sides of the door. Clark rolled down his window as a soldier came over. "Can I help you?" 

"Are you Clark Kent?" the soldier asked. 

"Yes," Clark answered. 

"Would you please turn off the engine and exit the vehicle?" the soldier asked. He looked past Clark and at Kara. "Both of you." 

Clark looked at Kara; there were four soldiers outside her window, and he could see she was clearly scared as she looked to him for what to do. 

"It's okay," he said softly. Clark turned the engine off, and the two exited the truck. Immediately four soldiers led Kara away from the truck over toward the front jeep. Clark tried to get to her, but he was stopped by a few soldiers. 

"What are doing to her?" Clark asked angrily. "What do you want with us?" 

"We just want to ask you two a few questions," the soldier replied. "It would be in your best interests to cooperate and let us do our job." 

- - - - 

Kara want to run, just run away from everyone. She could clearly see the farmhouse from where the soldiers had led her to, and she knew that she was fast enough to run there before anyone even knew she was missing, but she remembered what Clark had told her: if the soldiers saw her using her powers, they would take her away from Clark and the Kents; she just stood and hugged herself, trying not to look at the soldiers who scared her. 

"So, what's your name?" one of the soldiers asked. Kara didn't answer. "Hey, kid, look at me." She slowly looked up at the soldier; he looked angry. "Tell us your name; it's not rocket science." Kara looked over longingly at the farmhouse. "Hey!" Kara flinched and looked back at the soldier meekly. "You know, it's against the law not to talk to us. You could go to jail for that; you'll never see your mommy and daddy again, and your cousin and his family could go to jail too." Kara started shaking slightly, and he smirked. "Come on, kid; you look like a good little girl who does what she's told and respects her elders." Kara looked down at her feet, but she stayed silent. "Look at me when I talk to you." Kara looked up, and the soldier towered over her five-foot frame. "You know what I think? I think you and your family know more what fell out of the sky than you say you do." He edged closer. "I say if you want to give us the silent treatment, we haul you back to Fort Truman, and see how you like staying in the hole. You want that?" 

"Kurt," another soldier said warningly, "back off." The soldier named Kurt grumbled, but he backed away. The soldier who talked to Kurt sighed; Kurt was never a people person. He knelt in front of Kara and smiled at her. 

"Hi," he said gently. "I'm Patrick. You want to tell us you name?" Kara shook her head. "Alright, that's fine. Look, don't worry about Kurt; you can talk to me, okay?" Patrick took a deep breath. "Look, it's okay; we're your friends." Kara didn't look up at him. "If you're scared to talk to us, you don't have to be." He leaned towards her. "Did someone say they'd be angry if you talked to us?" No reaction. Patrick glanced at Clark, who glared back at him as he stayed with the other soldiers. The soldier looked back at Kara. "Sweetie, was it your cousin?" No reaction. "Your uncle?" Kara looked up towards the farmhouse; Patrick saw her fearful expression. 

"Look, sweetie," he continued, "no matter what your uncle said he'd do to you, if you talk to us we won't let him hurt you anymore; we know how to deal with cowards like him." 

- - - - 

Clark was yards away, and Patrick was speaking in soft tones, barely audible to a normal human being, but Clark wasn't normal; he clearly heard every single word the soldier was saying to Kara - every word that he was saying about his father. He clenched his fists at his sides, but he stayed where he was; he would only move if they touched the young girl. 

- - - - 

Patrick saw the expression Clark was giving him, and the pieces started coming together; it all made sense: the fear that the young girl expressed, and the way Clark was protectively staring at the young girl. He swallowed, then he turned his head back to the young girl. 

"Did he hurt your cousin too?" Patrick asked. "Is that why he's so upset right now too?" He started to put his hands on Kara's shoulders, but he stopped; he knew if he touched her, her cousin would probably go ballistic. He kept his hands at his side. "Hey, you did nothing wrong, okay? It was probably going on for years before you showed up; that's how it usually happens. And it's not your fault, nor is it your cousin's fault, but if he's done something to you or to your cousin, then we need to know. I understand that it's a bad thing, and you're uncle might seem really scary, but if you help us, then you won't have to worry about him being mean again; we can get you and your cousin the help you need." 

"I don't need your help!" Kara shouted as she looked up, tears falling down her face. "He did nothing wrong! Just leave me alone!" She bolted from the four soldiers and ran to her cousin, throwing herself at him. Clark put his arms around her as she buried her head into his chest, and he gently picked her up. He held her as he walked over to Patrick, glaring at the soldier. 

"Look, you stick to asking questions about what happened last night," Clark growled. "This is what we know: nothing. Now leave us alone." He scooped Kara up and carried her to the truck. He put her in the passenger seat then shut the door. He marched to the driver's side, got in, started the truck, and drove around the jeep. He glanced over at Kara as she started curling on her side, and his expression softened. 

"You okay?" he asked softly as he turned the truck into the gravel drive. 

"Why did they ask all those questions?" Kara whispered. "Why did they think your father hurt you and me?" 

"I don't know," Clark replied honestly. He stopped the truck in its spot near the scalloped fence. "But they're not going to bother you anymore." He turned of the engine and got out, grabbing the shopping bags from the truck bed, and walked over to Kara. He opened her door and helped her out. He held her hand in his and the shopping bags in his other hand, and they walked quietly to the house. Clark let go of Kara to open the kitchen door and let her go ahead of him. Inside, Jonathan and Martha were sitting at the table, looking serious. They glanced up as the two cousins came in; Clark saw their expressions. 

"What's wrong?" he asked. 

"I think we need to have a talk," Jonathan said somberly. He glanced at Kara. "All of us." 

(End of Chapter 37) 


	38. Chapter 38

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 38   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Clark felt Kara grab his hand; he glanced at her and saw how nervous she looked. He put the shopping bags down near the door, then he led Kara over to the table. The two took their seats and waited. 

Jonathan sighed. "Clark, is there anything you want to tell us about?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm. 

"Such as?" Clark asked innocently. 

"Such as why you felt it necessary to throw a man through a glass window," Jonathan replied. 

"How did you know about that?" Clark asked. 

"Chloe called a couple hours ago," Martha replied. "She was just as confused as we were that you would do something like that; she wants you to call her later on." 

"I can explain," Clark said. 

"Please do," Jonathan replied. "And be sure to include why you felt it necessary to keep your cell phone turned off." 

Clark squirmed, remembering that he turned it off before leaving Metropolis; the last thing he wanted to do was talk to anyone at the moment. "Well," he said, taking a deep breath, "you see, it -" 

"It was my fault!" Kara blurted out tearfully. Everyone looked at her. 

"Kara, what do you mean it was your fault?" Martha asked. 

"I threw him through the window," Kara answered. "He was trying to hurt me!" The Kents looked to Clark for an explanation. 

"We were in a camera store looking for a present for Jimmy's birthday," he explained, "and this guy was using a camera flash, which was against the rules. It startled Kara, and the guy was getting really nasty to both of us, and the clerk kicked him out. Kara wanted to go outside and watch the people while I finished shopping; she promised to stay near the store and not wander off, so I let her go. I didn't think there would be any problems, but the guy apparently took what happened to him personally, so he snuck up behind Kara and threatened her, grabbing her. She just reacted reflexively." 

"I didn't mean to hurt him!" Kara said. "Honest!" 

"Kara, we know you didn't," Martha replied as she took the young woman's hand in hers. "We're not mad at you." 

"It was my fault," Clark replied. "I left her alone; I shouldn't have done that." 

"Probably not," Jonathan said, "but that's not what concerns me right now. Are you sure that no one saw Kara?" 

"I'm pretty sure," Clark answered. "She was moving so fast that all people saw was a blur." 

"What about the guy who attacked her?" Martha asked. "If he talks . . . ." 

"I went by - unnoticed - after what happened," Clark said, "and I overheard the paramedics saying the guy was delusional. Even if he did talk, I don't think anyone would believe him." 

"Well, that may be the case," Jonathan replied, "but I think it would be best if Kara stayed in Smallville until further notice." 

"It would be better for everyone if I never came here," Kara said softly. Everyone looked over at her, shocked. 

"Kara, why would you even think that?" Martha asked. 

"Because it's true," Kara looked up as tears welled up in her eyes. "I've been nothing but trouble for everyone: I broke things, ran into a tree, got a bull mad at me, accidentally hurt a man, and it's because of me that the Air Force thinks Jonathan hurts me and Clark." 

"What?" Jonathan asked, his eyebrows shooting up. He looked at his son; Clark looked uncomfortable. "Clark, what happened?" Clark lowered his eyes. "Clark?" 

"They ambushed us right outside the property on our way back from Metropolis," Clark said quietly. He sighed. "They made us get out of the truck, and then they separated us, but I could hear everything they were saying to Kara." 

"What did they say?" Jonathan asked. 

"First, they tried intimidating her," Clark explained, "but Kara wouldn't talk to them. Then another soldier started suggesting that . . . ." He looked like he was going to throw up from what he was about to say. 

"He said that you hurt Clark before I came here," Kara spoke up quietly, "and that you hurt me too when I came here." She watched as Jonathan clenched his jaw before getting to his feet. He marched over to the coat closet and opened the door. 

"Jonathan, where are you going?" Martha asked. 

"It's bad enough that they harassed us," Jonathan replied as he pulled out his jacket, "but making up lies and trying to intimidate our children is out of the question." He shrugged into it then headed out the kitchen door. Kara looked worriedly at Martha, and Martha looked at Clark. 

"I'll go with him," Clark said. He left the table and hurried after his father. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Kara asked quietly. 

"No," Martha answered. She got up and knelt beside Kara, cupping the young girl's face in her hands. "Kara, listen to me. You did nothing wrong; and don't think for a moment that you caused any trouble." 

Kara looked confused and said, "But -" 

"No buts," Martha interrupted. "I don't know why, but some people are just not nice, and no matter what, they're going to cause problems for other people." 

"But they didn't break the nightstand or cause the bull to get mean or run into the tree," Kara whispered. 

"No, they didn't," Martha replied, "but you know what? Clark made a lot of mistakes before he got control of his powers. And now, you aren't breaking things either, right?" 

"Well, yeah," Kara said slowly. 

"And we already said the bull was mean to begin with. So please don't worry." 

"What about Jonathan and Clark?" 

"They'll be fine." She smiled. "I'd be more worried about the soldiers." 

"Are they going to hurt them?" Kara asked. 

"No, but knowing them, I have a feeling those soldiers will think twice before trying to mess with this family again." She was glad that Kara smiled, but she knew she needed to distract the young girl. She eyed the bags near the door. "So, did you have fun shopping?" 

Kara immediately cheered up and grinned. "Clark was so nice; he bought me so many things!" 

"Really?" Martha smiled. "You want to take everything upstairs to your room, and you can show me everything as we put it away?" Kara nodded, and she and Martha got up from the table. They grabbed the shopping bags and headed upstairs. 

(End of Chapter 38) 


	39. Chapter 39

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 39   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Jonathan fumed silently as he walked down the drive at a fast pace. Clark was at his side; he knew Jonathan had every right to be angry, but he had never seen his father that angry before; even when his father had been infected by the Nicodemus flower, he was no where near as angry as he was as they headed down the drive. Clark shuddered, thinking about how his father had shot him; even after all those years, Jonathan still didn't know what he did to his son, and Clark had no intentions of ever telling him. 

"Clark?" Clark stopped and looked over at his father; Jonathan's face was somber. "Clark," Jonathan repeated, his voice low and serious. "You know what that soldier said is not true, right?" 

"Dad, why would you even ask me that?" Clark asked. "I've known you all my life." 

"I know," Jonathan replied. "It's just that . . . I can't believe anyone would even think I'm a disgusting pervert." He started down the drive again. Clark watched him for a few moments, then he trotted after him. "You know, all it takes it one rumor, and then someone's been branded for life - even if it's not true." 

"Dad, everyone around here knows you," Clark said. "You think they're going to believe a bunch of soldiers over you?" 

"Clark, it doesn't matter what everyone thinks," Jonathan replied. "If anyone starts poking around in our lives right now . . . well, I don't have to tell you how much of a problem that would be." 

"So, what are we going to do?" Clark asked as they made it to the main road and walked in the direction the soldiers had cornered the truck earlier. "You want a little super help?" 

"Thanks, son, but you're not the one being accused of being a pervert. This is something I have to take care of myself." He turned to his son. "So, explain to me why you are here." 

"I'm here to make sure nothing happens to you in case those jerk soldiers get trigger happy." 

"Son, the way I'm feeling right now, you should be more concerned about those soldiers." The two stopped and looked around. "Son, you think you can use your . . . ?" He trailed off, tapping a finger near his eye. 

Clark nodded and lowered the bridge of his glasses. He switched to X-ray vision and scanned the nearby grove of trees. He spotted eight skeletons sitting in about a quarter mile away; he smirked at his father. "They're over there in the trees; want I should start our prevention burn a little early this year?" 

Jonathan chuckled and patted his son's shoulder. "Tempting, but I want them to suffer." 

"So, you're going to repeat all the platitudes you told me when I was Kara's age?" 

Jonathan looked over and saw Clark grinning. He smiled and pointed a finger at his son warningly. "Son, don't push it - I still know how to melt down kryptonite." Clark made a weird face at his father, then he and his father walked down the grove. 

"Hey!" Jonathan yelled into the grove. "You know, the Air Force must have a real sense of humor if they're letting in Marine rejects nowadays! Next thing you know, they'll be letting in more intelligent animals - like orangutans!" The Kent men glanced at each other and grinned as they heard engines rev up. A few seconds later, the jeeps came out of the grove and skidded to a stop a few feet in front of the two men; both Clark and Jonathan could see eight angry faces glaring at them. 

"Which one was the one that talked to Kara?" Jonathan asked quietly. 

Clark spotted Patrick in the driver's side of one of the jeeps. "That one," he pointed. 

"Thank you, Clark," Jonathan said. He calmly walked over to the driver's side, then he yanked the soldier from the seat; Patrick yelped as Jonathan pulled him close, until they were touching noses. The other soldiers pulled their guns and aimed them at the elder farmer. 

"Let him go!" a soldier barked. 

"Oh, boy," Clark muttered softly. He was thankful the soldiers were distracted as he supersped off into the grove unnoticed. 

"We need to talk about your interrogation methods," Jonathan growled at Patrick. "Especially when it comes to my children." There was a distinct whooshing sound, and everyone looked up as Superman descended from the sky and landed nearby. 

"Is there a problem here?" Superman asked as he walked over. 

- - - - 

"And the clerk gave me this," Kara said as she pulled the lollipop out of one of the bags. "And Clark didn't have to hand over that green stuff to get it." 

"You mean money?" Martha asked. 

"Money?" Kara looked confused. 

"It's the green stuff," Martha explained. "People use it to buy things with - like your clothes and the candy." She gently took the lollipop and put it with the other bags of candy on the dresser; she hoped that Clark hadn't let the young girl snack on junk food while in Metropolis. 

"But Clark used a hard looking object to buy my clothes," Kara said. 

"That was probably a credit card," Martha replied. Kara looked confused. "Don't worry about what it is right now. Let's finish putting away these clothes in the closet, okay?" She took the clothes that needed to be hung and walked over to the closet. Kara followed and watched as Martha opened the door and start hanging the clothes on odd shaped . . . things. Kara looked on the shelf above where Martha was hanging the clothes. She spotted a box marked 'Knick knacks.' 

"What's in that box?" she asked, pointing. 

Martha glanced up and saw the box. She smiled and finished hanging the clothes; then she reached up and grabbed the box. "Why don't we go through it and see?" she suggested. She sat, cross-legged on the floor. Kara joined her on the floor, and Martha put the box between them before opening it. Inside were various objects, and Kara was entranced by each object she came across as she as she rummaged through everything. Martha smiled and watched the young girl explore and discover. 

Kara pulled out a pair of glasses with glass frames; they had been part of an old costume Martha had worn many years ago for a Halloween party; the costume was who-knows-where, but Martha couldn't bear to throw the glasses away. "Look at me," Kara smiled as she put the glasses on. "I look just like Clark." 

Martha stared at the young girl as she wore the glasses, her mouth forming a small 'o.' Her mind started whirling with ideas. She smiled. "Kara, would you excuse me for a moment?" Kara nodded, and Martha got to her feet. She went into the bathroom and returned a few moments later with a rubber band. She knelt behind Kara and gently started to gather up the young girl's hair. 

(End of Chapter 39) 


	40. Chapter 40

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 40   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Superman," one of the soldiers looked at the hero in awe. "Uh . . . we're just having a small problem here; nothing we can't handle." 

Superman turned to Jonathan. "Mr. Kent? Is everything okay?" 

Under normal circumstances, Jonathan would have had to fight smiling, but he was too peeved. "Actually, there is," he replied. "These soldiers are harassing my son and niece." 

"Yes, Clark told me about that when he contacted me earlier," Superman replied. "He said something to the effect that the soldiers were implying that you were molesting your own children." He glared at the soldiers, and they all shrank in their seats. 

"And all I want to do is set them straight on their implications," Jonathan replied calmly, still holding Patrick by the lapels of his uniforms, not caring that the soldier's face was turning red. "There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" 

"I don't think so," Superman replied. He looked at the soldiers. "What do you boys think?" The soldiers were still for a moment, then they quickly put their weapons away. Superman smiled. "I thought so." He turned back to Jonathan. "The floor's yours, Mr. Kent." 

Jonathan nodded his gratitude, then he turned back to Patrick and got in the soldier's face. "Let me make one thing quite clear," he growled. "I love my son, and I love my niece; I would do anything to protect them, and if you *ever* imply that I'm a lowlife pervert or harass them ever again, you'll see just how dangerous I can be." He pulled the soldier close. "Do I make myself clear?" 

"Y-y-yes, sir," Patrick stammered. 

Superman had to fight the urge to look in awe at his father as Jonathan let the soldier go. Patrick stumbled back into his seat, and he drove the jeep off down the road; the other jeep followed close behind. The two men watched then jeeps drive to the end of the road, turn left, and disappear into the distant. 

"Way to go, Dad," Superman said. 

"Thank you, son," Jonathan replied. "Now, let's get back and check on our girls? I'm sure they're worried about us." He waited for his son to change back to into his civilian clothes before they headed back to the farm. They walked in the kitchen door and saw Martha standing at the foot of the steps. 

"How did it go?" Martha asked. 

"Dad put the fear of God into them," Clark replied, grinning 

"And Clark kept them from shooting me while I did that," Jon added proudly. 

"What?" Martha asked, her eyebrows nearly shooting off her head. She sighed. "I should have known better than to leave you two alone together with soldiers." 

"How's Kara?" Jonathan asked, quickly changing the subject before Martha started ranting. 

Martha gave him a look that said 'we're not done with this subject, Jonathan Kent,' but she gave a small smile. "While you two were out playing with the soldiers, Kara and I put away her clothes," she said. "And we have a surprise for both of you." She looked up the stairs. "Kara!" 

The Kent men looked up as Kara slowly came down. They're jaws dropped when they saw her hair had been pulled into a loose ponytail, and she was wearing Martha's old costume glasses. She stopped at the foot next to Martha and looked at the two men. 

"Well?" Martha asked. 

"Mom, what did you do to her?" Clark asked. 

"Well, I thought this might help with the incident in Metropolis," Martha explained. "Just in case anyone did see her face they won't recognize her." 

"Martha, you can't be serious," Jonathan replied. 

"Why not?" Martha asked. "It works for Clark every day." Jonathan couldn't argue with his wife's logic. "And I also called Chloe and asked her to come to dinner tonight." 

"What?!" Clark and Jonathan asked. Kara stared at the men, wide-eyed. 

"Martha . . . why?" Jonathan asked. 

"Because I think what Clark suggested was a good idea," Martha answered, "and the sooner we get this done, the better." She headed to the kitchen. "Now, I haven't told her what's going on; I'll leave that for you, Clark, but she's going to be here in a few hours. So, why don't you two go finish up the chores, and I'll get dinner started." 

"What about me?" Kara asked. 

Jonathan smiled and walked over to the young girl. He knelt down beside her. "You can stay with Martha and help her make dinner." He grinned at Martha. "Have fun, you two." He headed out the kitchen door with Clark. 

"Thank you so much, Jonathan," Martha muttered. It wasn't that she didn't want to have Kara help her; she just wasn't sure how Kara would be around major appliances, but she didn't want to hurt Kara's feelings. She smiled down at the young woman. "Ready to get started?" 

Kara shrugged. "I guess," she replied. She and Martha walked over to the kitchen. 

- - - - 

Clark easily threw the bale of hay into the loft above; he grinned as it landed neatly with the other bales. He breathed in deeply, loving the smell of hay and other barn smells. It had been years since he left the farm and headed into the real world, but he and his parents had an understand: during his visits back home he would help out whenever he could. Clark would always say that it was because he knew they needed his help, but in reality, he always loved working on the farm, especially with his father. 

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jonathan asked as he walked over from the tractor, his face streaked with oil, a wrench in his hand. 

"Just never get tired of working here," Clark replied as he reached for another bale; he tossed it onto the loft. "It's very relaxing." 

Jonathan smiled. "Especially since you don't break a sweat," he replied. 

Clark chuckled and continued tossing the bales into the loft while Jonathan went back to work on the tractor. The two men said little to each other as they worked on their own projects. They didn't need to do much talking; they had built of a rhythm that had only come from years of working alongside each other in a synchronization that only a father and son could share - and that only they could understand. 

(End of Chapter 40) 


	41. Chapter 41

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 41   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

Night had fallen as Chloe drove her Volkswagen Beetle down the gravel drive. Her curiosity made her fidget in her seat as she parked her car next to the familiar blue truck. The young reporter allowed herself a smile; it had been a while since she last visited the farm, but she had to admit she still loved coming back. She adored Metropolis with all her heart, but there was something about Smallville - particularly the Kent Farm - that always made her feel safe. She killed the engine and grabbed her laptop before getting out and heading for the farmhouse. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out what Martha's cryptic message was about. 

Ever since finding out - and accepting - that Clark was an alien, something she learned after graduating from high school, she was used to secrets, especially since Clark decided to become the hero of Metropolis and she had to help cover for her childhood friend at the Daily Planet while he went off to save the world. Chloe hated deceiving her friends and especially Lois, but she knew how important it was to keep Clark's secret. Still, given her past deception with Lionel Luthor, something she had thankfully been able to get out of with Clark's help, she wasn't too fond of lying to people she cared about, especially to her own cousin. 

The young woman rapped on the kitchen door and waited. A few moments later, Jonathan opened the door. He grinned, seeing the young woman. 

"Chloe," he said as he enveloped her in a hug. "Good to see you again." 

"It's been too long," Chloe smiled as she hugged the elder farmer. 

"It has," Jonathan agreed. He let go of the woman and stood aside, letting her in. "How are things going in Metropolis?" 

"Same old, same old," Chloe replied. "Can't complain." 

"Hi, Chloe," Martha smiled as she descended the stairs. Chloe smiled and hugged the woman that had always been like a second mother to her. "Thank you for coming." 

"My pleasure," Chloe replied as she let go. "But, um, does this have anything to do with Clark throwing that guy through the camera store window?" Martha and Jonathan shared a look. "Ooh, I know that look. That's not a good look." She took a deep breath. "Okay, if it doesn't have to do with Clark throwing that guy through a window, then I'm guessing it has to do the falling object the Air Force is investigating." 

"How did you know about that?" Jonathan asked. 

"I have a friend in the Air Force," Chloe explained. "He told me that Fort Truman is under tight security because they have remnants of an object that landed in Smallville - remnants that don't appear to be from Earth." She recognized their expressions. "Don't worry; no one at the Planet knows about this but me, and I haven't told anyone." 

"Does anyone know you're here?" Jonathan asked. 

"I just told Perry that I wanted to come and check on you personally to make sure everything was okay," Chloe explained. "He accepted that." She looked around. "So, where's Clark?" 

"Right here." The trio looked up as Clark came down the steps with Kara - still wearing her glasses - slowly following behind him. "Hi, Chlo." 

"Hey, yourself," Chloe grinned. She smiled at the young girl. "Who's your friend?" She watched as the girl hid behind Clark and peeked around cautiously. 

"Well," Clark replied slowly. He looked at his parents, then he took a deep breath and moved aside, giving Chloe a full view of his cousin. "Chloe, this is Kara." 

"Hi, Kara," Chloe smiled at the young girl. 

"She's my cousin," Clark continued. 

Chloe nodded, smiling. "Wow." Suddenly, her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a second. Did you just say cousin?" 

"Yep," Clark answered. 

"From which side of the family?" Chloe asked, glancing at Martha and Jonathan. 

Clark smiled at Kara, then looked at Chloe. "Mine," he said simply. Chloe's eyes slowly widened to the sides of dinner plates. She slowly looked at Kara, then back at Clark, then back at Kara. She glanced at the parents for confirmation, and they simply nodded. Mouth opened, she looked back at Clark. 

"So, she's from Krypton too?" Chloe asked. 

"Sort of," Clark replied. "She wasn't born on Krypton, but she is Kryptonian." 

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say the object that the Air Force found was her spaceship?" Chloe asked. 

"Actually, Pete found it first," Martha replied. 

"So, Pete knows?" Chloe asked. 

"Yep," Clark replied. 

"And Lana?" Chloe was far over her crush for Clark, but couldn't help but feel like she was being left out of the loop again. 

"No, she doesn't," Clark replied. In reality, Clark hadn't spoken to Lana in years, not since he decided to tell her who he really was; she had been upset, but he still couldn't believe that she would be so mad at him that she'd leave abruptly, shutting everyone and everything from Smallville out of her life. He sighed. "Look, Chloe, we'll explain everything to you, but the reason why we asked you to come is because we need your help." 

Chloe felt a little bad for bringing up a sore subject with Clark. "Clark, I'm sorry; I didn't mean that the way it sounded." She looked sad. "Still haven't spoken to her?" Clark shook his head. "Neither have I." She took a deep breath, trying to be cheerful. "Um, well, if you need my help, I'll do whatever I can." She gave a small smile. "After I know what's going on?" 

Clark managed a small smile. "Deal," he said. He sighed. "You hungry?" 

"Famished," Chloe replied. 

"Well, dinner's almost ready," Martha said. "Why don't you all get seated, and Jonathan and I will get the food?" Clark, Chloe, and Kara took their seats at the table while Jonathan and Martha went to get dinner. 

- - - - 

Dinner at the Kents' was - as usual - terrific: roast with potatoes and carrots, green beans on the side. By the time they moved to the living room, they were all stuffed. The Kents quickly explained everything to Kara and the situation they currently face. Chloe listened intently; occasionally she'd glance over at Kara and saw the young girl appeared to be studying her. She'd smile at Kara, and Kara would shyly smile back; it was adorable. Chloe could see she was already developing the Kent charm. Look out world, she thought to herself. There's another one, and she looks like a heartbreaker. 

"So," she said after the Kents finished their explanations, "basically, you want me to help create a past for Kara, so people will think she's from Earth." 

"Exactly," Clark replied. "Something that won't arouse any suspicion, especially for Lex." 

Chloe nodded, understanding. "Gotcha." She sighed. "Well, it'll take a few days, but it shouldn't be a problem." 

"Thank you so much, Chloe," Jonathan replied. "You don't know how much this means to us." 

Chloe smiled. "Don't mention it; I know how important family is. But, um, I will need a few things before I begin. First of all, she's going to need a birthday." 

"We talked about that earlier," Martha replied. She smiled at Kara. "Kara chose her own birthday." 

"So, what did you chose?" Chloe asked the young girl. 

"January 8," Kara said softly. She looked uncertain. 

Chloe smiled. "That's a great choice, Kara," she said. Kara smiled. "And since you're fifteen, that means you were born in 1998, if my calculations are correct." She made a few notes on her laptop. She sighed. "Okay, I think that's it . . . oh, wait, what about a name? I mean, since you gave Clark his name when you found him, Kara should have an Earth name too." 

"Well, I made a list of names," Clark replied, "and Kara got to choose that as well. We decided that, since Kara's a common name on Earth, that could be her first name, and she'd just choose a middle name, which would be the name we actually call her." 

Chloe smiled. "And what is her full name going to be?" 

"Kara Linda Kent," Clark said proudly. 

(End of Chapter 41) 


	42. Chapter 42

**TITLE:** Excelsior, Chapter 42   
**AUTHOR:** Miss Linda Lee (Jaxie)   
**RATING:** PG-13 (for violence)   
**GENRE:** Future Fic   
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** This story takes place in a futuristic world, where Clark is 26 and living in Metropolis. This story will also be following the timeline that happened if the events in 'Reentry' had taken place - i.e., Jonathan WILL NOT DIE!!!! Also, FC said that 'feeback is like air,' so please let me breathe!   
**SPOILERS:** None that I'm aware of   
**DISCLAIMERS:** I own none of the characters! Yadda, yadda! 

- - - - 

"Okay, just squeeze gently," Jonathan said soothingly. "Not too hard." He tensed as Kara -Linda, he said, reminding himself to call his daughter by her new name - grabbed a teat from the udder of one of the dairy calves - Besty, Jonathan's best milk giver. He glanced at the cow's face; Besty looked completely uninterested in her surroundings as she stood over the milking bucket. Linda sat on the small stool beside the dairy cow as Jonathan stood behind her, remembering the events that led up to her being there with him. 

- - - - 

Jonathan had gotten up at his normal time - five o'clock in the morning- and quietly left the house thirty minutes later to start his chores. He stopped when he saw Linda sitting on the porch swing. She was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, and sneakers, and she stared off in the distance, her legs curled up close to her body. 

"Linda?" The young girl looked up, startled. "Sorry, sweetie; didn't mean to startle you." 

"It's okay," Linda said softly. She watched as Jonathan sat next to her. "Did I wake you up?" 

"No, I'm always up at this hour," Jonathan replied. "The question is, why are you?" 

"Couldn't sleep," Linda answered. "Just a lot on my mind." 

"Anything you want to talk about?" Linda shrugged, and Jonathan put an arm around her. "Linda, I know you've been through a lot in a short amount of time, and everything's overwhelming, but keeping it all inside isn't good; if something's bothering you, you need to tell us so we can help you." 

"I really appreciate everything you and Martha and Clark and Chloe have done for me," Linda said softly, "and I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful, but . . . but why are you doing all this for me?" 

"Because you're family," Jonathan replied. "Because we love you." 

"But why?" 

Jonathan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew it was going to take some time to convince Linda that she actually mattered as a treasured creature, but if there was one thing Jonathan Kent was known for, it was his persistence. He carefully pulled the young girl close to him and wrapped his arms around her. 

"Linda, I know you don't feel like it right now, but you do matter to everyone here - Martha, Clark, Chloe, Pete, and myself; we all love you, and we don't need a reason to do that; we just do. I know that's hard for you to understand right now, but just give it time, and I promise you, one day you *will* understand that." He watched as Linda's eyes welled up with tears behind her glasses. Jonathan carefully took the glasses off; Linda suddenly wrapped her arms around Jonathan and buried her head in his chest. 

"What do I call you and Martha?" she whispered. 

"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked. 

"Well," Linda said as she looked up, "you're Clark's parents; he calls you Mom and Dad . . . ." 

Jonathan smiled. "Yes, he does." He took a deep breath. "Would you mind if I asked what you called your parents?" 

"I didn't call them Mom and Dad," Linda replied honestly. "They wanted me to address them formally - Lord Zor-El and Lady Alura Zor-El; it didn't matter that I was their daughter." 

"Well, you're living with us now," Jonathan said, "and you can call us whatever you feel like calling us; we'll be okay with your decision." 

Kara hesitated as she stared off at the horizon as the sun slowly rose. After a few moments, she turned back and looked at Jonathan. "Can *I* you Mom and Dad too?" she asked, her voice a mere whisper that Jonathan could barely hear. "Even though I'm not your real child?" 

Jonathan felt a lump welling up in his throat and tears brimming his eyes. He reached up and touched her cheek with his hand; he smiled. "Honey," he said, his voice wavering slightly, "you are as much our daughter as Clark is our son, and I know Martha and I would be honored to have you call us Mom and Dad." He hugged Linda tightly, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. He could hear Linda crying softly on his shoulder, and he rocked her softly, smoothing her hair with one hand. He whispered softly in her ears, reassuring her that she was finally where she belonged, and that no one was going to hurt her anymore. 

- - - - 

"Now what?" Linda asked. 

Jonathan shook himself back into the present, and he looked down; Linda was still holding Betsy's teat, looking up at him, waiting for his next instructions. He smiled and knelt beside her. "Now," he said, "the next part is tricky, but I have a feeling you'll be an old pro in no time." He knelt beside Linda and took one of the other teats in his hand, showing her how to hold it. 

"Then you just squeeze gently," he instructed. He squeezed the teat and a stream of milk shot out into the bucket. He smiled at her. "Don't pull; Betsy doesn't like that, and she'll let you know by kicking the bucket over." 

"Okay," Linda replied. She looked down at the teat she held; she concentrated and stuck the tip of her tongue out of the corner of her mouth. She squeezed gently, and a stream of milk shot out, but Linda's aim was a little off; it hit her shoe. Her expression fell as she looked up at Jonathan; he smiled. 

"It's okay, sweetie," Jonathan said reassuringly. "Just aim for the bucket and try again." 

Linda sighed and turned back to her work. Concentrating, and remembering what Jonathan told her, she tried again. A stream of milk shot out and landed right in the bucket. Grinning, she turned to Jonathan. 

"See, I knew you could do it," he said, smiling proudly. He patted her shoulder as she started milking; he stood and watched her. She was slow at first, but she caught on quickly; after a few moments, she was nailing every shot into the bucket. Smiling, Jonathan walked over to the work table where the bearings from the tractor were waiting to be greased. The farmer grabbed an oily rag and started working on the bearings. Occasionally, he'd look up and watched Linda. She was talking softly to Besty as she milked, slowly, and he smiled. 

About thirty minutes later, Martha came walking in with a plate of two large blueberry muffins. She stopped short when she saw Linda milking Betsy. She looked around for Jonathan, and he smiled and put a finger to his mouth. She smiled and walked over, setting the plate of muffins on the workbench; she kissed her husband. 

"Hi," she said softly. 

"Good morning, beautiful," Jonathan smiled. 

"When did Linda come out here?" 

"She was awake when I left the house," Jonathan replied. "She was sitting on the porch swing, and we talked for a while, then she came out here to help me with the chores." He chuckled. "She seems to like milking." 

"I'm just glad she doesn't have a fear of cows after Uncle Jesse," Martha replied. 

"True," Jonathan replied. "Oh, Anson said he'd take Jesse for us." 

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Martha asked. "He's a good bull." 

"He's an excellent bull," Jonathan agreed, "but we're not getting any younger, and he hasn't gotten any nicer; and I know Linda can handle herself, but I still don't want to have to worry about her. Besides, Anson said if we ever wanted to use Jesse for siring calves, we'll be more than welcomed." 

Martha smiled. "Well, you want to take a break for something to snack on until breakfast?" Jonathan smiled and took one of the muffins. Martha walked over to Linda. "Linda?" 

Linda turned around and looked up. She smiled at Martha. "Hi, Mom," she said before going back to milking. 

Martha was standing right outside the stall Linda used to milk Betsy. When she heard what Linda said to her, she swayed slightly, feeling as though the world had shifted beneath her, and leaned sideways against the pillar right outside the stall, her shoulder supporting her as her eyes filled with tears and she put a hand over her mouth. 

Jonathan had looked up as soon as Linda said 'Mom;' he knew he wouldn't be able to see Martha's reaction, but he still watched. As soon as he saw his wife lean against the pillar, he dropped what he was doing and hurried over. He gently put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to him. 

"Surprise," Jonathan said softly, smiling. 

"Hey, Dad, did I -" Linda turned around and stopped when she saw Martha trying not to cry. Linda's expression became worried as she cautiously got to her feet. "What's wrong?" 

"It's nothing," Martha said softly. "It's just . . . ." She reached out and touched Linda's cheek with her free hand. "Did you really mean that?" 

"Mean what?" Linda asked. 

"You called me Mom," Martha replied. "Did you really mean that?" 

"Yes," Linda said slowly. She lowered her head. "I'm sorry; if you don't want me to call you that, I won't." 

"No," Martha said. She tilted Linda's chin up. "Linda, you don't have to apologize." 

"But I made you cry," Linda said. 

"In a good way," Martha replied. Linda looked confused. "Linda, you can make someone cry by doing something really good for them." 

"But I just called you Mom," Linda protested. 

"And remember what I said earlier when we talked about this?" Jonathan asked. Linda nodded. "I meant what I said Linda; you don't have to second guess me, sweetie." 

Linda looked back and forth, a bit uncertain. Then she slowly smiled, and Martha reached over and put an arm around the young girl, pulling her close and hugging her gently. Linda hugged Martha tightly, closing her eyes; she could feel tears in her eyes, even though she was happy. It confused her, but she remembered what Martha told her, and she didn't question it any further as she felt Jonathan reach around her and hug both her and Martha, holding them close to his chest. 

Clark quietly trudged in through the open sliding doors, dressed in jeans, work boots, and a buttoned fleece coat, his hands in the pockets. He spotted his parents and Linda in a three-way hug, and he stopped. Hands still in his pockets, he carefully leaned against the frame, wistfully watching the scene in front of him. He thought better than to disturb him, so he quietly pivoted on his feet and turned to leave. 

Jonathan looked up with he heard the soft shift of gravel and turned his head. He saw his son leaving the barn, heading back towards the farmhouse. "Son?" Clark stopped, but he didn't turn. 

"Yes, Dad?" he asked quietly. 

"Would you come here, please?" Jonathan asked. 

Clark took a deep breath. He could just leave and no one would be able to stop him, but he did as his father asked him and turned around. He slowly walked back into the barn and over to his family, stopping about ten feet from his father. 

Jonathan sighed and reached over, grabbing his son by the elbow. His son may have been dense and hard to move, but Jonathan managed to pull Clark over. He put his arm around his son and nudged him close. Martha smiled up at her son and put one of her arms around him, overlapping her husband's arm. 

Clark felt a little out of place, and he looked down. He saw Kara smiling up at him, and he couldn't help smiling back. He put one arm around each of his parents and hugged them as tightly as he dared. He felt Kara lean against him as she rested her head on Martha's shoulder, and Clark closed his eyes, resting his head on his father's shoulder. 

It was different; for so long Jonathan, Martha, and Clark only had each other to depend on, care for, trust, and comfort. They had grown accustomed to the natural rhythm of their lives, even after Clark had left to go out into the world. Still, having Linda there with them - as both a daughter and a sister - didn't seem odd or out of place. It was as if, even though the three felt whole together, something was missing that Linda completed by being there - a new connection, of sorts. 

And Linda felt that connection, something she had never felt before. She had felt like an outsider for so long, even among her own people, but since arriving on Earth and being with people who showed genuine love and compassion towards her, she knew everything from her life on Argo City was irrelevant; all the science and knowledge she had been taught didn't compare to what she had learned in the past few days. She learned that she mattered, and that for the first time she knew she had a place she could truly call home . . . with people she could honestly call her family. 

Sighing with content, she closed her eyes and nuzzled deeper into the family huddle as the cocoon closed in around her, offering her refuge, security, and love. 

THE END 

(Now, I know you guys want to kill me, but let me explain something: this story was getting WAY too long to be a single story, so I'm splitting it up. Each of the parts is a stand alone, but the second part is a sequel to Excelsior. I will get started on the second part ASAP!) 


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